Introducing the Dental Protection research competition
Dental Protection, in partnership with The MPS Foundation, has launched an annual research competition for foundation dentists.
Professor Callum Youngson, Chair of The Dental Protection Board, says:
“We recognise that foundation dentists are the future of the profession, and we want to support them. We believe that research and continuous improvement are essential to a dentist’s career, and we’re promoting and celebrating this fact among foundation dentists.”
£8200 prizes to be won
- Each (PGMDE) regional winner for each category will receive £200 and a certificate. Commended entrants will also receive a certificate.
- The regional winners will compete for the national prize of £1,000 and a certificate for the overall winner.
- All winners and commended entrants will be invited by Dental Protection to publish their research for MPS members and the wider healthcare community.
THE AIMS OF THIS COMPETITION ARE TO:
Recognise, celebrate, and reward excellence demonstrated by foundation dentists in patient safety and risk reduction.
Provide an opportunity for foundation dentists to develop their understanding and expertise in patient safety and risk reduction.
Raise the profile and generate an interest in research among foundation dentists, to build research capability and capacity for the future in the dental sector.
Provide career-advancing opportunities for newly qualified dentists with a focus on research.
How to enter
The competition is open to foundation dentists who are undertaking their training in the UK during 2023 to 2024. Foundation dentists can enter either as an individual or as part of a team. All members of a team must be foundation dentists.
The deadline for submission is 31 July 2024.
How to submit your competition entry
Click to jump to section for full details:
For other questions please read the competition FAQs.
1. How to register your interest
Just complete your details on our online competition portal. You can do this at any time from 1 September 2023. Please note that you’ll have to register before submitting your entry.
2. Preparing your competition entry
The areas of focus
This year, the competition will focus on periodontal care.
The competition categories
The organisers will consider two categories of competition entries:
To provide the greatest opportunity for foundation dentists to enter the competition and to allow them to demonstrate their best work using different approaches.
They can submit their competition entries under one of three categories:
- A quality improvement project that can be applied to periodontal care, could potentially be identified through audits, and can be undertaken during the foundation year.
- A presentation of a case managed during the foundation year with periodontal care as the main component, preceded by a mini systematic review that could be identified through audits.
- Small-scale practice-based research on periodontal care that could be identified through audits and undertaken during the foundation year.
Visit our guidelines and terms and conditions to learn more.
Guide to preparing a good competition entry
We’ve created a guide to help you prepare the best entry for submission.
3. How to submit your entry
The deadline for submission is 31 July 2024.
To enter the competition, you’ll need to submit an entry which includes the following information:
- Your Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education (PGMDE) region
- The name of your training practice
- Whether the project is by an individual or a team of foundation dentists
- The category under which your project falls
- The title of your project
- The rationale for your project
- How the project was undertaken
- The results of the project
- How the result could impact your practice and the practice of others
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be a Dental Protection member to enter the competition?
No, we welcome entries from all foundation dentists who are undertaking their training in the UK during 2023 to 2024.
Who is eligible to participate in the competition?
The competition is open to all foundation dentists undertaking their training in the UK during 2023 to 2024.
How can I register for the competition?
Just complete your details on our online competition portal. You can do this at any time from 1 September 2023. Submissions close on 3 May 2024. Please note that you’ll have to register before submitting your entry. Find out more.
What are the criteria for judging competition entries?
The competition entries will be assessed by a panel of judges. Learn more about the judging criteria and rubric.
Can I submit more than one competition entry at the same time?
No, you cannot enter multiple submissions in any one year.
When is the submission deadline?
The deadline for submission is 31 July 2024.
What are the prizes and awards for the winners?
The (PGMDE) regional winner for each category will receive £200 and a certificate. Commended entrants will also receive a certificate.
The regional winners will compete for the national prize of £1,000 and a certificate for the overall winner.
All winners and commended entrants will be invited by Dental Protection to publish their research for MPS members and the wider healthcare community.
How and when will the results be announced?
Award notification date for regional winners is August 2024.
Award notification date for national winner is September 2024.