The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) has launched its three-year Fellowship British Dispensing Diploma (FBDO) level 6 course in ophthalmic dispensing in Australia.
Considered the pinnacle of DO training internationally, the diploma course had only been available to dedicated New Zealand and Australian dispensing students via correspondence who were willing to take and pay for a lengthy trip to Malaysia or the UK to complete their exams.
Donald Crichton, president of the Association of Dispensing Opticians New Zealand (ADONZ) and vice president of the International Opticians Association said the appetite for further optical education in Australia and New Zealand has been growing for some time. “There is interest in the course from our members and I believe being able to offer a greater depth of knowledge can only benefit the industry.”
The initiative to make the course more accessible to students in New Zealand and Australia was largely driven by Specsavers. Richard Couch, Specsavers head of ophthalmic lenses and dispensing advancement, said the course is a natural extension to the current certificate IV course run by the Australian College of Optical Dispensing (ACOD) and is part of Specsavers’ strategy to provide the highest quality eye care to its patients. “We are committed to promoting and supporting professional advancement opportunities for our dispensers as well as the broader industry, and increasing the accessibility of ABDO’s Fellowship Dispensing Diploma is a significant step towards that goal. The FBDO course offers experienced dispensers an opportunity to elevate their dispensing skills to a new level while obtaining a highly-respected qualification that is recognised internationally.”
Crichton said he sees the ACOD and FBDO courses as complementary. The FBDO course offers an opportunity for those wishing to undertake further education, he said. “The College aims to provide something more for those who want to study to level six, whether they start the course with the Cert IV or with the good grounding in education required from all applicants of the course.”
