News for BDTA Members, Manufacturers and Suppliers

BDTA meeting its objectives

Research conducted by the BDTA amongst its members at the end of 2009 has revealed that more than 65% of members believe the BDTA is meeting its key objectives very/quite well.

The BDTA scored particularly well in the areas of Dental Showcase, promoting the BDTA to the profession and dissemination of information to members with over 88% of members impressed with the Association’s achievements in these areas.  Approximately three-quarters were also impressed with the BDTA’s success in the areas of encouraging member participation, providing training and maintaining the industry’s ability to self-regulate.

Other key findings included:

• The main reason for becoming a member of the BDTA was gaining credibility with the trade/profession.
• 98% of members stated that their expectations had been fully or moderately realized since joining the Association.
• 44% reported recent increased interest in the BDTA, mainly due to new roles on committees.
• 91% of respondents rated BDTA membership as very or quite useful compared with 83% in 2008, demonstrating a significant improvement in satisfaction levels. 

BDTA members were invited to participate in a membership survey in November 2009 to enable the BDTA to assess whether the Association was meeting the needs of members.  Forty five members participated in the research which represented an impressive 35% response rate.  The research investigated members’ reasons for joining and sustaining membership of the Association, whether expectations have been fulfilled, member’s level of involvement and interest in Association activities, usefulness of membership benefits and familiarity with the work of the Association.

Tony Reed, Executive Director of the BDTA, comments “We are pleased with the latest results of the membership research which suggests we are meeting members needs in the key areas.  We rely on this feedback to continually improve the service we offer to our members and the industry as a whole and shall be looking at the results in detail to determine the aspects which require further development over the coming months.  Thank you to all members who took the time to participate in the survey.”

In response to the feedback provided by members at the end of 2008, the BDTA:

• Continued to improve the amount of information in the general and members area of the BDTA website in a more timely manner
• Expanded the content of the BDTA Newsletter
• Enhanced the provision of statistics to members by purchasing and using data from a wider range of sources, including Mintel Market Intelligence and the NHS Information Centre, and commissioning a new research project into the adoption of new technology and training amongst dentists
• Started to develop the Compendium of Training Providers and negotiate discounts with training providers on behalf of members
• Produced and distributed a quarterly newsletter to dental practices and laboratories, promoting topical and key messages that members wish to communicate
• Compiled a booklet of special offer vouchers for technicians to spend with BDTA members exhibiting at BDTA Dental Showcase 2009
• Continued to promote BDTA members via advertising and PR in the dental press and sponsorship/presence at the dental exhibitions and events of the other professional dental associations
• Held a social networking Go-Karting event in the Summer attended by 70 members of the trade.
• Organised visits to member companies to discuss BDTA membership benefits, explore synergies between the activities of the Association and individual members and widen engagement amongst the membership.
• Worked with the All Party Parliamentary Group for Dentistry and Oral Health as an active stakeholder.

The full results of the 2009 research will soon be available to download from the members area of the BDTA website www.bdta.org.uk.  If you would like to provide feedback to the BDTA please do so by e-mail (admin@bdta.org.uk) or telephone (01494 782873) at any time – there is no need to wait for the next membership survey.