At the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the UK’s Professional Association for dental nurses, the British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN), held on Friday, 24 November 2023 at 55 Broadway, London and via Zoom, Joan Hatchard became Honorary President.

Joan gained her National Certificate in 1988, and went on to gain post qualification certificates in Oral Health Education, Radiography, and Conscious Sedation. She became the practice manager of two busy private general dental practices and started teaching the National Certificate course in 1989. She also gained the FAETC and the Certificate in Education (FE), and holds the City and Guilds Licentiateship in Dental Nursing. Joan was an examiner on the NEBDN Panel of Examiners for the National Diploma and the Certificate in Oral Health Education. In recent years Joan has held positions on Council, first as the Chair of BADN Practice Managers’ and Receptionists’ National Group, and then as Acting Chair and Treasurer. Joan is a BADN Fellow and received the 2013 BADN Award for Outstanding Contribution to Dental Nursing.