The Benevolent Fund is there to help

While society at large tends to bracket dentists as relatively high earners ina secure profession, and so not likely to be in need of help, in reality dentists are equally vulnerable to financial difficulty as the next person.

With this in mind, in 1882 four dentists founded the BDA Benevolent Fund
to support colleagues and their families who, through illness, old age or misfortune, could no longer support themselves.  At that time state aid did not exist and the only alternatives to the Fund were destitution or the debtors’ prison, but even today the Fund still plays an essential role, offering financial aid to dentists and their dependents who find themselves in financial hardship.  

Fully aware that a crisis can arise for today’s working professionals, the
Fund takes pride in its record of absolute confidentiality. Every applicant receives a visit to identify their specific needs. Many Fund beneficiaries
are already receiving means-tested state benefits, and the Fund is able to
provide a regular grant which helps towards essential living expenses.

And where longer term help is not necessary, often a one-off grant is all
that is needed to transform the situation, for example to clear a nagging debt, replace a worn out, essential household appliance, or perhaps fund alterations to enable a disabled person to remain in their own home. Sometimes an interest-free loan is the best solution to a financial emergency. The Fund is able to offer a flexible response according to the nature of the applicant’s circumstances. 

Over the decades, the age of Fund applicants has changed, with only a sixth now being of pension age.  In 2012 well over half of applicants were between 40 and 60 years old, and nearly a quarter being under 39.  This shows that financial distress affects many dentists at different ages, with increasing numbers of applications being made as the result of stress related health problems or addiction, and the Fund continues to maintain close links with the Dentists’ Health Support Trust, particularly when whole families are involved.

Dentists are not immune to financial hardship and the task of the Fund is to encourage those in need of help to apply. Yet despite the established history of the Fund, one problem it faces is the lack of awareness of its existence within the profession, and some dentists’ natural reluctance to apply for help in cases of real need.  It’s never easy for dedicated members of a caring profession to admit they need help themselves, even when the underlying cause is a random accident and completely beyond anyone’s control.

The BDA Benevolent Fund is managed by a UK-wide representative Board
of Trustees from across dentistry, who volunteer their time and specialist expertise to serve their colleagues in difficulty. The Fund is also dependent on dental professionals for its resources and potential to offer assistance.  Indeed they themselves may one day, through misfortune, seek to benefit from its help.

While testimonials to its good offices abound, confidentiality requires that they must always remain anonymous.

“I want to thank you so much for your kind words and your help. The way the profession has responded has been overwhelming and has given me and my family great comfort and strength.”

– Beneficiary of the Fund in 2012

For more information about the BDA Benevolent Fund
call 020 7486 4994, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 or visit www.bdabenevolentfund.org.uk

All enquiries are considered in confidence.

Registered charity no. 208146