The president of the BDA Northern Ireland Branch, Richard Graham, has launched a new initiative aimed at encouraging the region's members to join the association's's Northern Ireland Branch Group.

For every BDA Northern Ireland member who signs up as Richard Graham's friend, the president will donate £1 to The Benevolent Fund at the end of 2010.

The Benevolent Fund helps dentists and their dependants who are struggling to cope, whether this may be due to illness or accident, stress, bereavement or poverty.

As a registered charity, the Fund relies on support from the dental profession alone to fund its services. Anyone can help by making a contribution, or by simply by spreading the message of its services to a dentist in need.

Richard was installed as the BDA Northern Ireland's new president on 15 January 2010.

To contact The Benevolent Fund, call 020 7486 4994 or email dentistshelp@btconnect.com.

For more information on becoming a member of the BDA, please visit the website www.bda.org.