Dental charity experiences unprecedented increase in applications for financial aid
A dental charity, which provides financial aid and assistance for dentists during times of crisis, has experienced a huge upturn in applications.
The BDA Benevolent Fund has received the equivalent of six months’ worth of applications in a 3-week period, as dentists all over the UK struggle to make ends meet with practices closed.
Practice earnings have dropped rapidly since lockdown measures were announced, and it remains unclear when clinics will be able to open again. With incomes falling, dentists are worried that they will be unable to survive.
Ros Keeton, chair of the fund, said that the charity has been “inundated” with applications for financial aid over the last three weeks. The outbreak has affected everyone, and dentists find themselves in a situation where they’re facing financial ruin with very little warning. Nobody could have predicted that the country would be locked down and dental practices closed for weeks on end a few months ago, and the impact has been extremely difficult to take. Dentists and dental students are concerned about their own personal finances, as well as their businesses.
To help those who are struggling, the BDA Benevolent Fund is running a series of webinars, there are guides and articles available online and advisers are dealing with requests as quickly as possible. Staff from the charity are working remotely, and they are trying to reach those in need as fast as they can.
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