BRITISH SOCIETY OF DENTAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL RADIOLOGY

Article 1 – Name

1.  The name of the Society is The British Society of Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology (BSDMFR), hereafter to be referred to as “the Society”

2. The Society is an educational charity registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales [registration number 1002045].

Article 2- Charity Administration

1.  There are 5 trustees of the Charity chosen from among the senior members of the Society.

2. These trustees are nominated by the Council of the Society and ratified by members at an Annual General Meeting of the Society.

3. The duties of the trustees are to check that the Society functions within Charity Law and to provide the Charity Commission with any reports and documents that the Commission requires.

4. The Trustees will ensure that the Society fulfils its constitutional aims. 

5. The Chair of Trustees Board is responsible for submitting the annual Society report to the Treasurer.  The Treasurer is then responsible for submitting the financial report and Society report to the Charities Commission annually.

Article 3 – Objects

The objects of this Society are:

1.   The advancement of the education of the public by the promotion of the study of dental and maxillofacial radiology.

2.  To promote the study of radiographic technique.

3.  To encourage and support high standards of undergraduate and postgraduate education in dental and maxillofacial radiology in the UK.

4.  To facilitate the production of an undergraduate curriculum in dental and maxillofacial radiology.

5.  To provide advice on issues involving dental and maxillofacial radiology.

6.  To provide regular educational and scientific meetings for continued professional development.

7.  To provide postgraduate training courses in maxillofacial radiology

8.  To support members of the Society and those with an interest in dental and maxillofacial radiology to attend international educational and scientific meetings.

9.  To provide a peer review scheme for specialists in dental and maxillofacial radiology.

10. In furtherance of the said objectives the Society shall have power to carry out or to assist in the carrying out of research in dental and maxillofacial radiology and to disseminate the useful results thereof.

Article 4 – Membership

Section 1
Membership of the Society shall consist of Ordinary, Honorary, Life and Associate members.

Section 2
Ordinary Membership 

Any dentist, medical practitioner, radiographer, dental care professional qualified to undertake dental radiography or health physicists, engineers and other health care professionals with a special interest in dental and maxillofacial radiology will be eligible to apply for Ordinary membership. Applicants must be working in the UK and be registered with the GDC, GMC, HPCP, IPEM or another regulatory body (at the discretion of Council). 

Section 3
Honorary Membership

This may be conferred upon any person who has shown great support of the objectives of the Society or who has made a special contribution to the advancement of dental and maxillofacial radiology. They can be proposed by any member of the Society to Council for consideration and, if deemed suitable, ratified at the Annual General Meeting.

Section 4
Life Membership

This may be conferred upon a member who has made a significant contribution to the Society and who has retired from practice and would be granted through the recommendation of Council with ratification at the Annual General Meeting.

Section 5
Associate Membership

This is available for United Kingdom based undergraduate students of dentistry, medicine, radiography, medical physics or other health care professions; dental care professionals not qualified to undertake dental radiography and representatives of companies associated with dental radiographic imaging.

Section 6
Overseas Membership

This is available to any dentist, medical practitioner, radiographer, dental care professional qualified to undertake dental radiography, health physicists, engineers and other health care professionals with a special interest in dental and maxillofacial radiology who works outside the UK. 

Section 7
Only Ordinary, Honorary and Life members may vote and hold office in the Society.

Article 5 – Officers
The Officers of this Society shall be:

President
President Elect
Secretary
Treasurer
Scientific Meetings Organiser
Website Manager

Article 6 – Council

Section 1
The Council of the Society shall consist of the duly elected Officers, four elected Councillors, the Immediate Past President and a specialty training grade member, elected from within this group of members of the Society.

Section 2
The Council may co-opt members to fill casual vacancies that may occur between Annual General Meetings. Members may also be co-opted onto the Council, at its discretion, for specific purposes provided that the number of co-opted members shall not exceed one third of the total membership of Council at the time of co-option. Members who have been co-opted onto Council will be entitled to vote.

Section 3
Council may invite members to attend Council meetings for specific purposes. These members are not entitled to vote on Council business.

Section 4
The Council may appoint such standing committees, ad hoc committees and small working groups as may be required and shall determine their terms of reference, powers, duration and composition. All acts and proceedings of such groups shall be reported to the Council as soon as possible.

Section 5
The number of members co-opted by Council to standing committees, ad-hoc committees and small working groups shall not exceed one third of the membership of that group at the time of co-option.

Article 7 – Meetings

Section 1
The Annual General Meeting shall be held once each year. The exact time and place shall be designated by the Council at least two months in advance and notice given to the Society’s members.

Section 2
Special Meetings may be called:
i By the President.
ii At the request, in writing, of at least 10% of the voting members.
iii By the majority vote of the Council.

Section 3
The Society will organise educational or scientific meetings at a minimum of one meeting per year.

Article 8 – Quorum
Section 1
15% of the Ordinary membership of the Society shall constitute a quorum at a duly convened Annual General Meeting or a Special Meeting which may involve the use of videoconferencing.

Section 2
Five members of the Council shall constitute a quorum for Council Meetings.

Article 9 – Transactions
The Council may authorise the publications of the transactions of the Society.

Article 10 – Newsletter
A Newsletter should be published and distributed to all members of the Society every twelve months. It should be edited by the President Elect. Each Newsletter should contain a message from the President, short items of special interest to members of the Society and contain information on future meetings.

Article 11 – Bye Laws
Bye-Laws of the Society may be adopted or repealed at the Annual General Meeting of the Society by a two-thirds majority vote of Ordinary, Honorary and Life members present and voting, provided a copy of such proposed amendment shall have been sent to each member at least one month prior to such meeting.

Article 12 – Dissolution of the Society
The Society may be dissolved by a Resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of the Ordinary, Honorary and Life Members present and voting at a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose of which 21 days notice shall have been given to members. Such resolution may give instructions for the disposal of any assets held by or in the name of the Society, provided that if any property remains after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, such property shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Society. They shall be given or transferred to such other charitable Institution or Institutions having objects similar to some or all of the objects of the Society, as the Society may determine and if and in so far as effect cannot be given to this provision then to some other charitable purpose.

BYE-LAWS

Article 1 – Membership
Section 1
All applications for Ordinary Associate or Overseas membership shall be made online through the Society’s website.

Section 2
All applications will be referred by the Secretary to the Council for consideration.  All applicants from the UK will initially be offered Associate membership; Ordinary membership will be conferred on applicants who meet the stated criteria after consideration by Council and ratification at the Annual General Meeting. To be considered for Ordinary membership in a particular year, the application must have been made four weeks before the Annual General Meeting (AGM) to allow consideration at the next Council Meeting and AGM.  Applications made after that date will be considered at the next AGM.

Article 2 – Finance
Section 1
Sources of Funds:

• Annual subscription fees from Ordinary, Associate and Overseas Members.
• Donations.
• Sponsorship of meetings from companies.
• Revenue from training courses organised by the Society

Section 2
The annual subscription shall be decided by the Annual General Meeting. Council will recommend to the Annual General Meeting a level of subscription to ensure the continued viability of the Society. Ordinary, Associate and Overseas Members will pay the same subscription rate.

Section 3
The annual subscription shall be payable at the time of application and will then be due on the same date each year.  Failure to pay the annual subscription within six months of the due date will result in automatic termination of membership.  An individual wishing to re-join the Society would then be required to make a new application for membership.

Section 4
No subscription fees will be levied from Honorary or Life Members.

Section 5
The financial year shall be the calendar year 1st January to 31st December.

Article 3 – Election of Officers
Section 1
All Officers shall be elected, by ballot if necessary, at an Annual General Meeting of the Society. Those holding office shall be eligible for re-election with consideration being taken for the continuity of the Society’s business. The normal tenure of the Office of President shall be two years. Nominations for all office bearers can be made in writing to the Secretary or President by any member with voting rights for consideration at the Council meeting prior to the AGM. Council can recommend nominations to the Annual General Meeting and further nominations can be taken at the meeting if they are proposed and seconded by two voting members of the Society.

Section 2
Vacancies for Officers occurring between Annual General Meetings shall be filled by the Council for the unexpired term of that office.

Article 4 – Council
Section 1
The Council shall consist of the duly elected Officers, the Immediate Past President (ex-officio); four members elected at an Annual General Meeting and a specialty training grade representative.

Section 2
The Council shall be approved by the AGM. An elected member of Council is normally elected for a three year term but can serve for a maximum period of six consecutive years, after which two years must lapse before being eligible for re-election. Members willing to be elected onto Council must be proposed and seconded by two voting members of the Society.

Section 3
Five members of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 4
The Council shall conduct the business of the Society between meetings. It shall appropriate such funds as are allocated to various committees or for special purposes. It shall appoint such committees as are provided for in the Constitution and/or Bye-Laws of the Society. It shall render a report of its actions and a financial statement to the Annual General Meeting of the Society for approval. It shall perform such other duties as provided for in the Constitution and Bye-Laws.

Article 5 – Duties of Officers
Section 1
1. It is the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the Society, present an annual address and perform such duties as are customary to their office.
2. The President is responsible for ensuring the objectives of the Society are met.

Section 2
1. The President Elect shall assume the duties of the President in their absence.
2. The President Elect is responsible for the production and distribution of the Society’s newsletter.
3. The President Elect is responsible for the prizes awarded by the Society

Section 3
1. The Secretary works with and assists the President to ensure the objectives of the Society are met.
It is the duty of the Secretary:

• To keep a record of the transactions of the Society and of the Council; to attend to all correspondence; keep all official letters received with a copy of the replies.
• To notify Officers, committees, applicants for membership and others of their election or appointment.
• To keep an accurate list of members, together with their addresses and other contact details.
• To present a report at the Annual General Meeting.
• Duties may be delegated to a third party organisation approved by Council supervised by the Secretary 

Section 4
It is the duty of the Treasurer:

• To collect all monies due to the Society from its members and other sources.
• To ensure that all monies belonging to the Society are in named accounts of the Society.
• To submit and present annual audited accounts at the Annual General Meeting.
• To submit annual accounts to the Chairman of the Trustees.
• To ensure that cheques are signed by not less than two designated members of the Society.
• Duties may be delegated to a third party organisation approved by Council supervised by the Treasurer.

Section 5
It is the duty of the Scientific Meetings Organiser:

• To provide administrative support to the President, or to any other member who is designated to organise a BSDMFR meeting.
• To send notice to all members of the time and place of a meeting.

Section 6
It is the duty of the website manager:

• To keep the Society’s website up to date and to develop its content.

Section 7
1.  An external auditor should be appointed by Council.
2. The auditor shall inspect the financial statements and accounts on an annual basis and attest to their accuracy.

Article 6 – Acceptance of Membership
Upon election to membership, all members shall be required to abide by the Constitution and Bye-Laws of the Society and be bound by its rules and regulations. A copy of this Constitution and Bye-Laws is available on the Society’s website www.BSDMFR.org.uk

Amended August 2020