Frequently asked questions

Please see below for answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about BDA membership.

What membership packages do you offer?

Choose the right membership for you. We have three membership packages for dentists, each offering different benefits and services at a different price.

Essential membership gives you the essentials for just £41.46 per month
Extra membership offers an enhanced range of benefits (including one-to-one advice) for £84.18 per month
Expert membership gives you access to the full range of BDA services (including one to one advice and all the policies, templates and checklists you need to run your practice) and costs £127.25 per month

Fees can be paid annually, quarterly or monthly. Members can get a 4.75% discount by paying their fees annually.

DCPs cannot join the BDA although there are ways you can engage.

Can I suspend my membership?

The BDA is a not-for-profit organisation. All income gets reinvested for the benefit of members. Very simply, we haven’t overcharged you to create a surplus of money that sits in an account awaiting a disaster so we cannot offer holidays or suspensions from membership.

Any interruption to our income will have direct adverse effect on our ability to represent the profession and to advise members in this critical time. We hope that members will see the BDA's role as integral; without us there would be no central place of information and no single loud voice demanding of governments what the profession needs. Many dentists are joining to express their thanks and support because together, we are stronger.

Which membership should I choose?

Take a look at our benefits at a glance page or complete our What's right for me quiz to see which membership package might suit you best.

Still can't decide? Don't worry, our membership team will be pleased to help you. Either email membership@bda.org or call 020 7563 4550, lines are open from 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday.

We may record telephone conversations to offer you additional security, resolve complaints, for regulatory compliance and to improve our service standards. Conversations may also be monitored for staff training purposes. You will be alerted to this when you call.

I'm a salaried dentist - which membership is right for me?

As a trade union we support employed salaried members working in the community, social enterprises, public health, prisons, the armed forces and academia.

Join as an Essential member and receive one to one advice and representation by phone or email on employment and workplace-related issues from our team of experts.

We provide advice and representation to members on:

Redundancy and dismissals
Grievance or bullying and harassment claims
Disciplinary proceedings
Sickness absence procedures
TUPE consultations

We will also provide you with representation and support when you need it.

Your Employment Relations Officer (ERO) can also offer personal representation in matters of personal or contractual disputes with employers.

We offer the same service to salaried hospital dentists, delivered via the BMA on our behalf.

I'm a dental student - which membership is right for me?

Dental students should choose student membership. Student membership is £33 a year, only £2.75 per month. Student membership is only open to students at UK dental schools studying a BDS or BChD dental degree. The following groups are not eligible for this membership package:

Dental therapy or hygiene students
Students on a pre-clinical or international course
Qualified dentists studying postgraduate courses, for example a Diploma, Masters or Doctorate.

If you are not eligible, please telephone our Membership department on 020 7563 4550 to discuss your membership options.

Once I've chosen, can I change my membership package?

Yes. You can upgrade your membership at any time. Simply call the membership team on 020 7563 4550 (between 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday) to get immediate access to further benefits and services. All we ask is that you commit to a minimum period of membership of one year in the new package.

If you'd like to downgrade from your current membership package, you can do this once your minimum membership period has elapsed, subject to one month's notice.

Why is there a membership fee?

We are a not for profit organisation, set up by dentists for dentists. We charge fees so that we can provide the services our members need. We strive to keep the fees as low as possible, while still giving the best possible value to our members.

Fees can be paid annually, quarterly or monthly. You can get a 4.75% discount by paying your fees annually. The fees listed here are accurate until 31 May.

How do I make changes to my Direct Debit arrangements?

If you would like to change the account from which payments are taken, or change the frequency of payments, please contact the membership team on 020 7563 4550 or email membership@bda.org.

Is BDA membership tax deductible?

Yes. The BDA is one of the HMRC approved professional bodies (list 3). For more information please refer to tax relief on membership subscriptions.

Can I opt out of print copies of the BDJ?

Yes, you can. The BDJ and BDJ In Practice are two of six journals which are printed and circulated to members. If you would rather opt out of receiving these please call 020 7563 4550 or email membership@bda.org

How does Good Practice work alongside BDA membership?

Members will be able to prepare an application for membership of the Good Practice Scheme, whichever membership package you select. The ‘Self-Assessment’ criteria are published on the website and are available to all members.

In addition, the requirement to use BDA Expert in order to prepare an application has been removed. We believe that using BDA Expert provides the best, quickest and easiest route to gaining (or maintaining) membership of the Good Practice Scheme, but we recognise that members may wish to develop their applications in different ways.

So, for example, it would be possible to be an Essential member (at £39.12 per month), and still be a member of the Good Practice Scheme.

The fees for Good Practice Scheme are entirely separate from membership, and are set by the scheme administrators every year. From June 2013, all applications will be assessed via an onsite assessment to confirm compliance with the Scheme standard.

I live abroad – which is the best form of membership for me?

For members living overseas, we offer an International membership at £50.26 per month. This offers all the benefits of Essential membership but allows for publications (the British Dental Journal and BDJ In Practice) to be sent internationally.

Fees can be paid annually, quarterly or monthly. Members can get a 5% discount by paying their fees annually.

I qualified abroad and am not registered with the GDC – which membership package can I join under?

For members who qualified abroad and now living in the UK, we offer a Qualified Overseas working towards GDC registration grade, this offers all the benefits of Essential membership, however, you will not be eligible to vote. This is available at £39.11 per month.