The Benevolent Fund has begun birthday celebrations to mark its 125th year. The Benevolent Fund is a registered charity, providing financial assistance from voluntary contributions to assist dentists and their dependants, when they find themselves in need. It may be an elderly dentist or widow, who finds that the value of their savings and pension has dwindled, or a younger dentist who cannot work because of illness, stress or depression. The only requirement the Fund makes is that at some time the dentist has been on the UK Dental Register.

Throughout the whole of 2007 the Benevolent Fund will be remembering the past 125 years of its charitable success with the support of many other organisations, including the Association of Specialist Providers to Dentists (ASPD). The ASPD is an association of reputable businesses that offer professional services tailored to meet the specific needs of dentists and the dental industry and during 2007 members of the ASPD will be testing their endurance by undertaking a massive 125 km sponsored bike ride to celebrate 125 years of the Benevolent Fund.

Established for dentists by dentists, the Benevolent Fund relies solely on support from the dental profession to fund its activities, and its many supporters are only too happy to help in its very special 125th year.

Reader response number 52