Annual competition returns for final year dental students

James McParlane, 2015 winner, during the final last year
James McParlane, 2015 winner, during last year’s final

The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) and Dentsply Sirona have launched the annual Dental Skills Competition. 

Run by the college’s faculty of dental surgery, the competition is now in its third year and aims to discover the most talented and skilled undergraduate dentist in the UK.

The ground-breaking competition sees final year dental students from across the UK demonstrate their talents and skills in a series of challenges. The competition begins with 16 rounds, one at each UK dental school, during which the students are asked to undertake a complex dental task, with the winner of each heat announced on the night.

‘The dental skills competition really captures the students’ enthusiasm and drive and challenges them on a range of key clinical skills; competing against the best students in the country is a significant challenge,’ said Mr Brian Nattress, a dental council member at the college and a consultant restorative dentist in Leeds.

The competition will culminate in the grand final in Edinburgh on 30 March 2017 at which the top 16 finalists from across the UK will undertake a broad range of clinical procedures before determining who will be crowned the overall winner at the competition’s Grand Final Awards Dinner with prizes from RCSEd and Dentsply Sirona.

‘Following last year’s successful Dental Skills Competition, we are honoured and delighted to continue our partnership with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh to celebrate the talented dental clinicians of tomorrow,’ said Gerry Campbell, VP and general manager UK of Dentsply Sirona.

‘Through our continued commitment to providing innovative solutions for better, faster, safer dentistry and our expansive education programme, it is our desire and privilege to support dental professionals throughout their career. This competition promises to bring the very best out of senior students and we are very excited to be a part of such a prestigious event.’

Hannah Crane, now a 26-your-old qualified dentist working as a dental core trainee at the dental hospital in Manchester and the winner of the first competition said: ‘The whole competition was a fantastic experience, which I would recommend to all of my colleagues. It was a great opportunity to develop my skills, for networking, to experience the facilities and services that the Royal College offers and to be able to attend an excellent dental conference in Chicago. The impact on my career has been extremely positive.’

As well as prizes being awarded to the winner and runner-up, all participants of the competition will receive a certificate of participation, as well as two year’s affiliation to the RCSEd’s pre-membership dental affiliate network.

‘One of the major aims of the dental faculty of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is to set and quality assure the highest standards for the dental profession, and recognise that with the award of Membership and Fellowship,’ said Professor William Saunders, dean of the dental faculty at the RCSEd.

‘This competition is a shining example of ensuring that those standards are constantly being challenged and updated, with students benefitting from the networking opportunities it brings. RCSEd is very keen to interact with the undergraduate dental schools in the UK and this competition provides an excellent way for dental students to become engaged with us. We are most grateful to Denstsply Sirona for their collaboration to make this competition possible.’

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