BADN

BADN welcomes the appointment of Angie Heilmann to the GDC

The British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN), the UK’s professional association for dental nurses, welcomes the appointment of Angie Heilmann to the General Dental Council (GDC).

Angie Heilmann (formerly McBain) qualified as a Dental Nurse in 1989, went on to achieve the NEBDN qualification in Dental Sedation Nursing (with Distinction), for which she was awarded the Roche Prize in 2000, and worked in clinical practice until 2007 before focusing solely on dental nurse education.   

Angie has held a number of educational and tutoring positions, most recently as the Dental Workforce Development Regional Advisor for Heath Education England (East) until 2020, and is currently the Director of Dental Nurse Education at Cambridge Dental Nurse Academy, the dental nurse arm of Antwerp Dental Academy. Previously, she was part of the team that introduced Foundation Degrees in Dental Nursing at the University of Bedfordshire. 

Angie is not only a Past President of BADN, but also a former Chair, Regional Coordinator and Chair of the National Teaching Group, and was awarded the BADN Outstanding Contribution to Dental Nursing Award in 2011.

Angie was also Chair of the Local Dental Education Committee at Luton and Dunstable Hospital; and is the only dental nurse to have sat on the Council of the Society for the Advancement of Anaesthesia in Dentistry (SAAD). She holds a Master’s degree in Medical Education from the University of Bedfordshire and was awarded an MBE for Services to Dental Nursing in 2012.   

“We are extremely pleased “said BADN President Jacqui Elsden “that former BADN President Angie Heilmann has been appointed a registrant council member of the GDC.  I have no doubt that Angie will bring to this role a wealth of expertise to ensure a fair and proportionate experience for dental professionals, leading to improved confidence in our profession.

“I should like, on behalf of BADN and the UK’s dental nursing profession,  to congratulate Angie on this appointment – we look forward to working with her and the rest of the GDC going forward.”

BADN partners with tida

BADN, the UK’s professional association for dental nurses, are proud to announce our partnership with tida – a training provider using the inclusive diversity approach through educational videos and workshops.

The inclusive diversity approach will help dental teams discover new ways to develop more conscious and caring attitudes that will benefit the workplace and our communities.

Through a series of online courses, they offer everyone the chance to self-develop and progress towards fairer thought patterns and actions, making positive adjustments to help create a more equal, diverse and inclusive society free from discrimination and racism.

tida offer a range of online courses (normal price £19.99 per person per course) on topics such as:

  • Human Rights · Conscious and Unconscious Bias in the Dental Practice
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
  • Introduction to Racism – coming soon
  • Importance of Identity – coming soon
  • Empowerment and Resilience. – coming soon

You can help pave the way for change

By working to make positive changes within ourselves, we help pave the way for change in our workplaces and communities.

tida is more than just a training provider; they are a community of like-minded people on a mission to enlighten and empower people. They believe that by giving people the facts, they can take positive action for themselves and our society, helping to break down unfair treatment barriers and loss of opportunities that so many people unfairly face.

Check out the course trailers:

Human Rights https://youtu.be/D6SnkRuXRJs

Conscious and Unconscious Bias https://youtu.be/Bqs3kYRyG4o

Workplace: Equality, diversity and inclusion https://youtu.be/SdxI53dJ3LM

FOR ONLY £10 BADN MEMBERS CAN DO ALL THREE COURSES

More information available in members area of the BADN website – registered dental nurses who are not yet members of their professional association can join for £35 at www.badn.org.uk. BADN membership gives you access not only to the tida courses, but also to the special member rate indemnity cover, the Legal Helpline, digital “British Dental Nurses’ Journal” with free CPD, the Health & Wellness Hub with counselling/support helpline and to BADN Rewards, which offers a wide range of special offers and discounts on shopping, travel, insurance, lifestyle and much more.

BADN supports BDA in call to push junk food out of sport

The British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN), the UK’s professional association for dental nurses, supports the recent call by the British Dental Association (BDA) for “sustained effort …… to remove the deep-rooted and pernicious influence of junk food brands across sport”.

BADN President Jacqui Elsden said “BADN welcome, and support, the call to push junk food brands out of sport. As a mother and grandmother, as well as a dental nurse, I am deeply concerned about the uncontrolled advertising of junk food that currently exists in sport. Sadly, sporting heroes actively ignore the detrimental effects that junk food plays on our children’s oral health. By glamorising and encouraging the consumption of junk food through advertising at sporting events, we are shamefully subjecting our younger generations to a lifetime of poor oral health.

“If the government is keen to take junk food off the menu in schools, then it should also ban junk food advertising in sport. BADN, the professional association for dental nurses in the UK, wholeheartedly supports the British Dental Association in their campaign.”

BADN to present Dental Nurse of the Year Award at the 2021 Dental Awards

The Dental Nurse of the Year Award at the 2021 Dental Awards, the original and most respected awards programme in UK dentistry, has gained added prestige as it will now be presented by the UK’s professional association for dental nurses, the British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN).

“We are delighted to be involved even more closely with this year’s Dental Awards,” said BADN President Jacqui Elsden, “and to present the Dental Nurse of the Year Award. Part of BADN’s mission statement is to advance the role of dental nursing through lifelong learning to the level of competently applied knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours which underpin the evolving demands of current and future oral healthcare in the UK. We shall also be presenting the Dental Nurse of the Year with one year’s free BADN membership.”

“Over the course of more than two decades, The Dental Awards has established itself as the most highly regarded awards honour in the profession,” said James Cooke, managing editor of the dental portfolio at Purple Media Solutions, including The Probe and the British Dental Nurses’ Journal. “It is with great excitement that we announce a new partnership with BADN that will see the Dental Nurse of the Year Award held in even higher esteem.

“Purple Media Solutions, which organises and hosts the Dental Awards, has a long-standing working relationship with BADN as publishing partner of the Association’s quarterly periodical, the British Dental Nurses’ Journal. We are thrilled to expand upon that partnership at the 2021 Dental Awards.”

Established in 1940, BADN is the professional organisation specifically for all dental nurses – whether student or registered – working in General Practice, Hospital, Community/Salaried Services, the Armed Forces, Industry, Management or Education. It offers members a wide range of benefits including indemnity cover at special member prices, the Journal with verifiable CPD, Legal Helpline, Health & Wellness Hub, BADN Rewards Scheme and the National Dental Nursing Conference, as well as information and advice. For more information, visit https://www.badn.org.uk

2021 marks the 22nd edition of the Dental Awards. Over the years, this prestigious event has recognised the outstanding individuals and teams whose commitment and drive continues to raise standards throughout the UK dentistry profession.

The Dental Awards is supported by the UK’s leading dental magazine publisher, Purple Media Solutions, and is unquestionably the premier awards programme for UK dentistry.

Winning or being a finalist is a tremendous accolade and provides a massive publicity boost to the profile of your practice and your team. After all, who wouldn’t want to be treated by the Dental Nurse or the Dental Team of the Year?

For more information, call 01732 371570 or contact awards@purplems.com.

A huge thank you to The Dental Awards 2021 sponsors: Colosseum Dental, Dental Elite, the Oral Health Foundation, and Water Pik.

GDC’s ARF instalment option welcomed by BADN

The British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN), the UK’s professional association for dental nurses, has welcomed the GDC decision to accept payment for the Annual Retention Fee (ARF) in instalments, after many years of lobbying by BADN.

Dental nurses will now be able to pay their ARF of £114 pa in four Direct Debit payments of £28.50 per quarter. To take advantage of the option in 2021, dental nurses need to log in to eGDC from early May and select the quarterly Direct Debit option no later than 31 May 2021. Further details will follow once the system has been set up.

“BADN have been lobbying the GDC for some years to allow payment by instalments, but the answer was always that this would be too costly, and additionally that it was not possible under the current legal framework” said BADN President Jacqui Elsden.

“Dental nurses are the lowest paid members of the dental team, and many work part time. Our recent salary survey1 shows that the majority earn between £10k and £20k a year, and that 54% have to pay their own ARF, so a single large payment of £114 every July was a financial burden for many dental nurses, particularly recently.

“£114 per year is still too high a fee for dental nurses, particularly given the circumstances of the last year when many dental nurses were not paid their full salaries (or even, in some cases, paid at all), but the GDC refused a request by BADN in 2020 to lower the ARF, even temporarily. We are however pleased that they have at least finally agreed to one of our proposals by allowing dental nurses to pay the ARF in instalments.

“We hope that now the GDC have acknowledged the financial burden the ARF places on dental nurses, they will give further consideration to BADN’s two other proposals: that the ARF be lowered to a more realistic figure for dental nurses, and that a lower ARF be implemented for all dental professionals, not just dental nurses, who work part time.”

BADN releases 2020 salary survey results

The British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN), the UK’s professional association for dental nurses, today released the results of their 2020 Salary Survey. The survey was conducted on line between October and December 2020 and the Report compares the results of this survey with those of the survey conducted in 2013.

BADN President Jacqui Elsden said “The 2020 BADN Salary Survey shows that the majority of dental nurses still earn £20kpa or less, despite working full time and having been in the profession for more than 10 years.

“From this, they are still expected to pay their own GDC registration fee (51%), CPD costs (50%) and BADN membership (91%), receive no paid time off to complete their CPD requirements (87%) and no employee benefits (83%). This is obviously why nearly one fifth (16%) have a second job – half of whom have to have a second job to meet their basic living costs.

“Worryingly, 2% are working without indemnity cover, 5% don’t know if they have cover and more than half (55%) depend upon their employer’s cover!

“The results of the 2020 BADN Salary Survey reinforce BADN’s call for dental nurses to be paid a salary which recognises their status as registered dental care professionals, their education, training and qualifications, and their invaluable role in the dental team.”

Janet Goodwin Memorial Fund lauched to support the future of dental nursing

When former Oral Health Foundation President Janet Goodwin sadly passed away in October 2020 she left behind a great legacy.  It is in recognition of this that the Oral Health Foundation have joined together with the British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN) to launch the Janet Goodwin Memorial Fund.

An influential figure within oral health, Janet spent much of her career championing the importance of education and the career development of dental nurses.  It is for this reason that it seemed only fitting for a memorial fund be set up in her name to further that cause.

The Janet Goodwin Memorial Fund will support dental nursing students and registered dental nurses with bursaries for the development of their careers. For dental nursing students, this might take the form of financial help with their education, while qualified dental nurses can apply for support with post-graduate studies.

The Oral Health Foundation and BADN hopes the new series of grants can help provide much needed financial support for individuals pursuing a career in dental nursing.

Dr Nigel Carter OBE, Chief Executive of the Oral Health Foundation, believes the fund goes straight to the heart of Janet’s work.

Dr Carter says: “I would like to think Janet would be really proud by a project like this. During her distinguished career, Janet battled hard for her profession and made fantastic strides in boosting the visibility of dental nursing amongst the profession and the public.

“Janet was a terrific ambassador for her fellow dental nurses and what better way to honour that than through a fund which will help dental nurses further their careers. By providing support for our future dental nurses, as well as current ones, this fund will help secure a stronger and brighter future for dentistry as a whole.”

Janet was used to breaking down barriers during her career and was passionate about improving the oral health of people up and down the country.

In 2015, Janet became the first dental nurse to be elected President of the Oral Health Foundation in the charity’s nearly 50-year history. She also was the first dental nurse admitted to the General Dental Council. Always looking for new challenges, Janet was also Chair of the National Examining Board for Dental Nurses – on the second dental nurse to hold that position – and later employed by the NEBDN as Qualifications Manager.

Janet was a long-time active member, and Fellow, of the British Association of Dental Nurses and was also a recipient of their ‘Outstanding Contribution to Dental Nursing Award’.

Jacqui Elsden, President of the British Association of Dental Nurses, adds: “It is without doubt that Janet will be truly missed across the Dental community. She was a wonderful advocate for our dental nursing profession, particularly for dental nurse education and oral health care.  I feel immensely proud to be part of the collaboration leading to the founding of the Fund in her memory. It will be a unique opportunity for dental nurses to begin or further their career in dental nursing and inspire a new generation.”

To find out more about the Janet Goodwin Memorial Fund and to make a donation, visit www.dentalhealth.org/janetgoodwin.

BADN welcomes key worker and vaccine statements

The British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN), the professional association for dental nurses in the UK, has welcomed confirmation that dental teams, including dental nurses, are considered key workers, and will be given priority for COVID vaccinations.

BADN President Jacqui Elsden said “Because government statements did not specifically include dental professionals in their list of key workers, many dental nurses have experienced problems in accessing childcare, leaving them unable to go to work – and many dental employers have been unsympathetic to their situation. Clarification on the key worker status of dental professionals in the latest update from Sara Hurley is therefore most welcome and will help to alleviate the problems currently faced by dental nurses.

“Equally, the news that Prime Minister Boris Johnson this week confirmed that dental professionals will be prioritised for the Covid vaccinations is greatly welcomed and will put many dental nurses’ minds at ease.

“Information on the current situation is included on the Covid pages of our website www.badn.org.uk and updated whenever we receive new information.”

BADN announces details of December Coffee Catch Up

BADN, the UK’s professional association for dental nurses, is continuing with its hugely successful monthly “Coffee Catch Ups” for dental nurses.

Held on the last Saturday of every month at 3pm, the Catch Ups are designed to give dental nurses a chance to network, chat with and ask questions of BADN President Jacqui Elsden, Executive Committee members and staff, and to be kept up to date with new developments. The Catch Ups also offer 30 minutes of verifiable CPD.

October’s speaker was Jennifer da Silva of Parliament Hill, providers of “BADN Rewards”, BADN’s membership benefits scheme. Jennifer outlined the benefits available to BADN members under the scheme and explained how to make best use of them – it is estimated that BADN members can save around £529.73* each year using the scheme’s special offers and discounts on insurance, shopping, white goods, magazines, energy suppliers, Apple products and, in happier times, travel, holidays, days out, cinema visits, etc. The scheme also includes a Legal Helpline, for initial legal advice, and a Health & Wellbeing Hub with a counselling/support helpline, articles on physical, mental and financial health, and activities. Jennifer also gave details of the TOTUM PRO card, the discount card that offers BADN members fantastic savings on 250 UK brands online and on the high street. As part of a limited time offer, BADN members can pick up a 3 years TOTUM PRO membership for just £24.99 (saving BADN members £10.00 over RRP*).

November’s speaker was Sharon Brennan, of CFC Underwriters, providers of BADN’s indemnity scheme, who explained what indemnity actually is (medical malpractice and legal expenses cover), why dental nurses need it, the difference between insurance cover and discretionary cover, why so-called “crown indemnity” isn’t enough and current market conditions.

“Very useful recap on indemnity and a good chance to share problems and experiences related to this subject.”

“Thank you for organising the indemnity topic with guest speaker Sharon Brennan – really helpful, interesting and important topic for me. Discussions through the meeting were absolutely helpful as well – Forgot to say how much fun I had watching the coffee video and with the quiz .. Thanks!”

“Thank you for the Coffee CatchUp session it was great! The presentation was very informative and useful.”

“I’ve done so much cpd over the years and attended courses, study days and webinars but never had one on indemnity insurance before. What a great topic. I found it very helpful and took lots of notes. The speaker was very informative and I’ve come away reassured. I’ve told others about this webinar and they can tell that I got a lot out of it too. Thank you very much.”

“Once again a big thank you for hosting the coffee catch up for dental nurses on Saturday 28th November. It was a really enjoyable afternoon, great to have the opportunity to chat with you all! Good presentation, useful subject and great company!”

“Both the content and the presentation of the CPD course on Indemnity ,given by Sharon, were concise, enjoyable and relevant to my position. The Q &A session was unhurried and able to answer any concerns there might have been on this involved subject . An enjoyable couple of hours.”

“I really enjoyed the coffee morning and found everyone very friendly, I’ll look forward to the next one.”

“The event Coffee CatchUp was so delightful, I was really impressed. Thanks for the 10% discounts on coffee you sent to me. I’m really looking forward to joining on the next event. “

The December Catch Up – on the last Saturday before Christmas – will feature motivational speaker and team-building guru Tracy Stuart. Tracy is highly respected as a successful Dental Business Coach & Dental Team Trainer within the UK Dental Profession. The sole purpose of her company, NBS Training, is to mentor and coach dental practice owners and their dental teams. Her success lies in escalating the dental teams’ effectiveness and performance through enhanced leadership skills and bespoke personal development plans. Tracy is renowned for successfully transforming groups of individuals into highly engaged dental teams with accountability to drive dental practice results through behaviour. She is also a regular contributor to the dental press and is a frequent speaker on the UK dental conference and seminar circuit.

Attendees at the December Catch Up are invited to wear a Christmas jumper or outfit, with a prize for the best ensemble.

The 2020 Catch Ups also include a quiz, with a prize of 250g ground coffee provided by Rave Coffee, who also provided a video on how to make perfect French Press coffee RaveCoffee_Cafetiere (1).mp4 and a 10% discount on attendees’ first order of Rave Coffee.

The Catch Up events are open to all dental nurses and are free of charge; however places are limited. A wide ranging programme is planned for 2021. For more information, and to book a place, go to www.badn.org.uk or contact events@badn.org.uk.

Dental Nurse Recognition with BADN President Jacqui Elsden (S02 E02)

Jacqui Elsden, President of the British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN), joins The Probe Dental Podcast.

After the BADN’s call earlier this year for dental nurses to receive the recognition they deserve, Jacqui discusses the reasoning behind the campaign, which drew a lot of attention, the mixed response and what more needs to be done.

Jacqui also talks in detail about the BADN and what it offers to dental nurses from all corners of the dental sector. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts:

 

For more information, visit http://badn.org.uk/

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The Probe Dental Podcast is presented by The Dental Awards.

The Dental Awards is the original and most respected awards programme in British dentistry. 2021 marks the 22nd anniversary of the Dental Awards, and over the decades, this prestigious event has recognised the outstanding individuals and teams whose commitment and drive continue to raise standards throughout the profession.

The Dental Awards is attended by over 600 clinicians each year. Winning, or being a finalist, is a tremendous accolade and provides a massive publicity boost to the profile of your practice and your team. After all, who wouldn’t want to be treated by the Dentist or Dental Team of the Year?

The Dental Awards are sponsored by B.A. International, Colgate, Colosseum Dental, Dental Elite, and Water Pik. The Probe and The British Dental Conference & Dentistry Show are official partners.

For more information, please visit the-probe.co.uk/awards

For more from The Probe, visit the-probe.co.uk. Theme tune courtesy of Bensound.