The awards are intended to reward outstanding student work and are open to undergraduates and postgraduates. Entries can now be submitted via the ADG website www.dentalgroups.co.uk.
David Worskett, ADG chairman, said the ADG was continuing the bursary programme for a second year due to the level of interest shown by students, and the continuing need to promote professionalism and management as core skills amongst dental students.
“The 2013 programme was highly successful and was widely welcomed by the sector. We had seven very impressive prize winners. Chloe Richardson, Eliska Dvorakova and Hassaan Nasir, who came first in the the professionalism, management, and post-graduate categories respectively, proved to us that there is a strong sense of business acumen amongst some dental students, and we want to develop that more widely.”
“In addition to proving clinical excellence, students need to know how to run all aspects of a dentistry practice. This can only help improve patient outcomes.”
Hassaan Nasir, winner of the 2013 post-graduate award said:
“I was overwhelmed when I was told I had won the £5,000 post graduate bursary award. This prize will enable me to get my project to improve dental health for disadvantaged people off the ground and will help with my further studies."
“Being a dentist isn't wholly about clinical work. It is also about understanding how to run a business and to develop structured and costed business plans which will allow you to expand and grow, and to deliver quality dental care for as many patients as possible. If this is something that you feel is important, you should enter the 2014 ADG bursary awards."
Undergraduates in any year are able to apply for the two undergraduate awards; professionalism and management. There are three prizes of Gold £1000, Silver £750 and Bronze £250 for both categories.
The postgraduate bursary is open to all dental post-graduate students with an undergraduate degree in dentistry. It will be awarded for the best plan for a voluntary health programme which demonstrates the capacity to improve and promote better oral health in the UK. The prize of £5,000 is made up of £2,500 as an actual award to the winner and a further £2,500 to be used to support delivery of the project.
Entry to the awards is open until the 30th of November and winners will be announced in early 2015.