ARE YOU NEWLY QUALIFIED TO THE PROFESSION AND WANT TO BE FORMALLY RECOGNISED AS A PROFESSIONAL IN YOUR FIELD?
Becoming a member of your professional body brings a raft of benefits that will underpin your growth and support your career development and professional credentials. DTA members take full advantage such as:
- access to technical knowledge in the form of exclusive online resources, journals and masterclasses
- support with career development, lifelong learning, ECPD requirements and training
- remain abreast of all updates and changes in regulation and especially those related to your scope of practice
- access to exclusive discounted packages plus free CPD and 24-hour helplines for all members
- the opportunity to boost professional gravitas and improve your CV
- to mix and gain support from other experienced dental technologists, DTA is run by dental technicians for dental technicians
- being represented. Contribute your expertise and feedback to membership surveys e.g. when a new regulation or policy needs to be created
- to promote your profession in society and raise awareness of key points
- to mentor younger members to help them develop personally and the profession as a whole
BAPD
BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF PRIVATE DENTISTRY
The DTA continues to work with British Association of Private Dentistry (BAPD) to further raise awareness of the issues and concerns of our dental technologist members. Tony Griffin has been representing the DTA at online BAPD DCP group meetings. British Association of Private Dentistry (BAPD) issued the following statement to urge their membership to support dental laboratories in any way they can during this difficult time:
"The BAPD recognises the vital role that our dental laboratories play in the provision of dental treatment for our patients and it is crucial that they are supported financially during the COVID-19 crisis. With fewer laboratory-made devices being prescribed because of practice closures, the effect on cash flow for small businesses such as dental laboratories, who rely wholly or in part on NHS/mixed service practices, has been devastating, with reports of redundancies already and now business closures becoming a distinct possibility. We urge our membership to support their dental laboratories in any way they can during this difficult time." - British Association of Private Dentistry (BAPD)
CoDTEI
CONFERENCE OF DENTAL TECHNOLOGY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Conference of Dental Technology Educational Institutes (CoDTEI) was set up in 2004 to replace the Joint Colleges Liaison Committee (JCLC), in light of educational developments at the time. The overarching aim of CoDTEI is to develop, continually improve and maintain input to dental technology education and training, and to improve liaison and collaboration with other organisations.
The driving force was the first chairman, Tony Griffin, with Caroline Logan as his vice-chair, and the inaugural meeting took place at the GDC on 27 April 2004. Since then we have seen the closure of one of the original members, Southampton City College, as a dental training provider. However, we now have 13 colleges within the UK (see constitution of the group below) who are invited to meet on a regular basis to continue the work set out in 2004 - to share development issues and improve the provision of qualifications in dental technology. to day, in addition to the BTEC qualifications, we have honours degrees and master's degree courses in orthodontics, prosthodontics, crown and bridge and reconstructive science (the modern term for the maxillofacial discipline).
And so to the present. CoDTEI is still made up of the UK dental technology training schools, supported by the DTA, with observers from the educational arms of Ivoclar Vivodent and Straumann UK. Current work includes the sharing of best practice between colleges in the fields of student involvement, development of e-learning, distance learning, co-operation with manufacturers, liaison with laboratory owners in the vicinity of colleges, and providing data to the Centre for Work Force Intelligence who have been commissioned by Health Education England to review the current training numbers of all DCP groups so they can model the workforce numbers for the future.
Our Vision
To advance standards within dental technology for the benefit of the oral healthcare of the nation by:
- Providing advice guidance and support to members
- Raising awareness and promoting an exchange of views on key issues affecting the dental profession.
KEY OBJECTIVES
- Develop and support members, and the dental technology profession.
- Encourage and promote education, including CPD.
- Forge links with other organisations.
- Promote views to relevant external organisations.
- Adopt and share best practice.
- Provide benefits and employment opportunities. Develop and maintain roles and responsibilities.