Welcome to Women Dentists Network
The WDN is a networking organisation established in June 2018, whose mandate is to promote and advance the careers of women dentists across the UK. Our mission is to ensure our voice is heard as a key contributor to decision-making in UK dentistry.
Many other professions have well-established women’s network groups to help foster and promote the influence of women in their professions .The Dental Profession is an outlier in this area which will be remedied by the growth of the Women Dentists Network.
Our Aims
WDN aims to help women dentists achieve their goals through the benefits of personal contact and discussion, practical support and advice and a forum for discussion of issues which pertain to:
The working lives of women dentists
&
Issues in the lives and careers in dentistry that particularly affect women
"I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will."
Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre
Our Objectives
The 6 key areas that we aim to make a difference
Work & Career
Employed, Self -Employed, Practice Ownership and business skills. Associateship and Corporate Associateship, Career Transitions, Indemnity.
Wellness
Physical and Mental Health, Dentists in difficulty, Coaching and Mentoring.
Financial
Practice Ownership, Permanent Health Insurance, Pensions Research Working lives of women dentists, there have been no official surveys in the past 30 years.
Family
Commitments, children, elderly relatives, carers, disabilities Maternity Leave and Pay (NHS) are there any difficulties and how is it working for associates. Divorce, ill health, retirement.
Leadership Roles
Relationship with professional bodies such as the BDA and the new College of General Dentists, reach out to those who are not members of these.
Inclusion
Monitoring progress of the Equality and Diversity initiative at the BDA and lobby for change to structures so that they have more women in their top committees Encouraging and promoting capable women speakers for conferences and lectures.
Our Membership
Membership is open to all female dentists.
Currently we have a Private Facebook Page which has about 600 members, and 3 WhatsApp groups to which administrators can add other members.