BDA Lobbying Northern Ireland

About our work

The BDA and its elected committees seek to improve conditions for the delivery of dental services across Northern Ireland, negotiating with elected representatives and government bodies, as well as influencing other key-decision makers, including educational institutions and non-statutory organisations.

National priorities

In Northern Ireland we have found a dichotomy between dentists enjoying significant growth in private earnings and those for whom NHS dentistry is increasingly failing to generate sustainable returns. We look to the Government to establish a model of care that properly incentivises NHS care.

We are calling on the Government to:

Present a GDS contract that is attractive and financially sustainable
Target better oral health for children and the older population, guided by an updated Oral Health Strategy
Deliver a Dental Workforce Plan incorporating, 'a people-first approach'
Get to grips with oral health inequalities 
Apply a strategic approach to dental reform.

Committee representation

Dentists working in Northern Ireland are represented through the 

Northern Ireland Dental Practice Committee
Northern Ireland Community Dentists Committee
The Northern Ireland Hospital Dental Services Forum
and  Northern Ireland Council.

Northern Ireland also holds one seat on the Principal Executive Committee (PEC), which sets our policy and strategic direction.

Staff based in Northern Ireland

Tristen Kelso - National Director, BDA Northern Ireland

Julie Williams-Nash - Senior Policy Advisor

Johan Warwick - Committee and Administration Support Officer

Staff based outside Northern Ireland

Alan Pitcaithley - Practice Management Consultant for Scotland and Northern Ireland

David Paul - Employment Relations Officer

Stay in touch

Members: If you'd like to be kept informed about developments make sure your details are up-to-date on your MyBDA record and tick the box under 'contact preferences' to get latest news updates.

Not a member? Sign up to our website and join the News and Campaigns list for all the latest updates.

Contact our Northern Ireland office

Latest news

Dentists in NI have spoken: Real reform won’t wait

Dentists across Northern Ireland have spoken with one voice: officials are asleep at the wheel, and Health Service dentistry is caught in a death spiral without radical action.

Access crisis has a body count – please share your feedback

With ongoing access issues, fuelling oral health problems we are calling on dentists UK-wide to share their feedback on what they are seeing at the chairside.

The amalgam ban: What you need to know

The European Parliament has voted to ban dental amalgam - the most common material for NHS permanent fillings in all corners of the UK - from 1 January 2025.

Antimicrobial resistance awareness week resources

Ahead of World Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness Week, and throughout the year, we continue to work nationally and internationally to address the role of dentistry in AMR.

Understanding and confronting sexual harassment at work

Research shows that sexual harassment is a widespread problem in the workplace.

Dentists call on government to extend free school meals to every child

Today, we delivered a joint open letter and petition to 10 Downing Street, calling on the Prime Minister to follow the example of the Welsh and Scottish Governments in extending the provision of free school meals to every child in primary school in England.

More dentists no 'Magic Bullet' to fix broken systems

In what marks a first the General Dental Council has gone on the record stating bringing in more dentists will not solve problems fuelled by broken contracts.

LDC Conference: NHS dentistry at a tipping point UK wide

Post covid recovery of services will depend on effective reform, with fair and sustainable funding for NHS dentistry. This was the clear message that emerged from dental leaders at this year's LDC conference.

Northern Ireland: Pressing the case for dental reform ahead of a restored Assembly

We have seen significant new challenges put in the way of realising our priorities for dental reform in recent weeks and have responded by redoubling our efforts to press the case for dentistry at what could yet prove to be a pivotal time.

NHS dentistry: PM must drop the spin and accept the facts

The government need to drop any pretence that NHS dentistry is on the road to recovery and to deliver a much-needed rescue package, alongside a pledge for reform of the contract.

"Crisis? What Crisis?": busting myths on NHS dentistry

Mass closures. Patients queuing at dawn outside practices. An exodus from the workforce.

Cuts are the wrong cure

We have warned officials that planned cuts in Northern Ireland will devastate a service already on the brink.

Upcoming events

BDA Northern Ireland has an active Branch which run regular events, most of which are free for members. Our Northern Ireland branch programme covers all of the events coming up for the year.