The competition aims to raise the profile of research among foundation dentists to generate interest and build research capability and capacity for the future in the dental sector.
This year, the competition will focus on periodontal care. Foundation dentists 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.
Professor Callum Youngson, chair of the Dental Protection Board, said, “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.”
Over £8,000 worth of prizes could be won in the competition. There will be regional winners and an overall national winner. Each postgraduate medical and dental education (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 dentistry community.
The competition is open to foundation dentists who are undertaking their training in the UK from 2023 to 2024. Foundation dentists can enter either as an individual or as part of a team of up to three.
Registration opened on September 1, 2023, and the deadline for submission is May 31, 2024.
For more information visit The MPS Foundation Research Competitions Portal (smapply.org)