Introduction

As a DDU member you can practise with confidence

We are a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to our members' interests.

We offer you expert guidance, personal support and a robust defence if your clinical competence or care of patients is questioned.

Our team is led and staffed by dentists with real-life experience of the pressures and challenges faced in practice.

We have an unmatched track-record of helping members overcome the challenges which could threaten their livelihood. Our rapid response to requests for assistance and continuity of support from start to finish means that you can practise with confidence because we are on your side, and by your side.

This is your guide to DDU membership. It describes the main benefits and responsibilities of membership. For more information, please visit our website at theddu.com

Benefits of membership

The benefits we provide are on an "occurrence basis" which means you can ask for our assistance, as long as you are (or were) our member at the time the incident happened. This applies even if you are no longer a member or have retired or stopped practising. Your estate can even ask for our help after your death.

We use the mutual fund to provide assistance to members.

We are not an insurance company. If you ask us for assistance or indemnity, this may be provided, at our Board of Management's discretion, under our Memorandum and Articles of Association.
 
As this is your company, you can vote on resolutions at our Annual General Meeting. Depending on your choice, you will receive a paper or electronic copy of our Annual Report and Accounts to keep you up to date with our activities.

Please read this guide along with your renewal letter and any other information from us explaining your member benefits based on our understanding of the work that you do.

Glossary

Assistance: Support we provide, which can include legal advice and legal representation.

Indemnity: Compensation we can provide for you to pay damages for clinical negligence.

Mutual fund: Money we collect in the form of members' subscriptions which we hold to defend our members and provide other membership benefits. 

Special provisions: Where your access to our benefits of membership is tailored to your individual practice.

Vicarious liability: When you are legally responsible for the acts or omissions of people who work for you.