BACD Accreditation – Two Perspectives

The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD) is committed to promoting excellence in all areas of cosmetic dentistry. As part of its ongoing efforts the Academy has introduced credentials to allow members to demonstrate that they have reached an agreed level of ability. The process has been designed to allow dentists and technicians to demonstrate that they have the ability to diagnose, plan and execute cosmetic treatment of the highest standard, and that this can be done safely, ethically and competently.

Here, Neil and Paul Gerrard share their thoughts on BACD Accreditation and how it’s helped them develop in their professional careers…

A dentist’s perspective

By Neil Gerrard

I had a number of motivations for completing BACD Accreditation. The first was the learning process of being able to consistently deliver predictable high quality care within a private practice environment; the second was recognition by my peers of such an achievement – to join a select group of dentists and technicians working at the top of their field; and finally, positioning of my skills to the general public, i.e. present a unique selling proposition regarding the marketing of my practice.

Make no mistake, Accreditation is a taxing process, and it certainly does take time. But ultimately it’s also very rewarding. In many respects it’s more about the journey than it is about the final destination. This is because the things you learn along the way stay with you throughout your career.

One of the biggest challenges I found during my process was finding patients who were suitable for each category. What you will find in the end is that you actually have to deliver a high standard of care to all of your patients in order to find the right cases. This means you can’t be selective in the cases you are treating – you have to raise your whole game consistently across every area of the practice.

For me, this is one of the main benefits of doing Accreditation. It encourages you to improve, and improve consistently in all of the disciplines. What you also realise, looking back, is that as you raise the quality of your work you are also improving the overall standard of care you can deliver to patients.

If you really want to raise your game in dentistry then BACD Accreditation is definitely for you.

A technician’s perspective

By Paul Gerrard

I first got involved with the Accreditation process as a result of working with my brother on his own Accreditation cases. After doing the technical work for his case submissions I felt as though it was something I wanted to do for my own personal achievement.

On a professional level I found the whole process to be a great way to give me a structured process to improve the quality of my work. It gave me something concrete to aim for with a final objective in mind.

Accredited status has opened a few more doors for me and has allowed me to meet like-minded dentists that are dedicated to providing the highest standards of care. This is because many people within the profession recognise the award as a hallmark of quality. Working with clients that share a similar passion enables me to meet the high standards that BACD Accreditation demands and makes my daily work so much more enjoyable.

If there’s one thing that the process has taught me is just how important it is to have a really close working relationship with the dentist. Communication is absolutely key to achieving the best results, and while emails and digital images have broken down a lot of barriers, for me you still can’t beat meeting with the dentist face-to-face. 

If you’re a technician and think Accreditation might be for you, then the first thing you should do is find a like-minded dentist to work with. Ideally you should look for someone who also wants to do the Accreditation process at the same time, so this means you’re both working towards the same goal.

Once you’ve found a suitable dentist then you can really start thinking about your case submissions. The process is a lot of work, but the results are worth it!

The Accreditation process

To begin the Accreditation process, first you will need to be registered as a BACD Full Member. You should then complete the entry form (available online) and submit it to the Academy when you are ready to begin.

In total each dentist candidate will present five separate cases, while technician candidates will present four cases in total. These cases can be submitted in any order to the BACD and will be judged anonymously by a panel of five examiners. Once the candidate has passed all of their required clinical cases, he/she will then be invited to take a final viva examination. This will include a review of some or all of the candidate’s clinical cases and a discussion.

Once you have successfully completed your examination you will be presented with an Accreditation plaque at the next BACD Annual Conference. You will also be permitted to use approved logos in any professional communication, and will appear as an Accredited Member on the ‘Find a Cosmetic Dentist’ feature found on the BACD website.

For further information call 0207 612 4166, fax 0207 182 7123, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.bacd.com