The British Endodontic Society (BES) offers its members the opportunity to submit their entries for a wide range of awards and prizes. Once such prize is the General Dental Practitioner Award.
General dental practitioners (GDPs) form the largest proportion of the BES membership and perform the majority of endodontic treatment in the UK. As such, the award aims to support the development of endodontic skills and knowledge amongst clinicians.
Dr Michael Brown, 2025 winner of the General Dental Practitioner Award, shares a little bit about himself as well as his experience with the BES and preparing his entry:
“I am a general dental practitioner working in East Kilbride near Glasgow, and I have completed my Masters in Endodontology – my special interest. I take referrals for root canal treatment, and work with vocational trainees. As time has gone on, I have become more and more focused on endodontics.
“I decided to apply for the prize as I was completing more complex treatment and felt it was a good opportunity to reflect on the level of dentistry I was providing. I was delighted to gain recognition for my work, and believe there is value in self-reflection in dentistry.
“The entry process was very straightforward. I have been a member of the BES since dental school, and I took some time to put cases together that I had already completed and submit them for consideration.”
As 2025 winner, Michael reflects on his achievement and the impact that it has had on him:
“I found out that I had won the award whilst I was on holiday in France on my birthday, which was a lovely surprise. For this, I received a prize of £1,000 which was fantastic, however I found that the recognition I received and the sharing of my cases is what mattered most to me. Personally, it had a big impact on me, and professionally it was great to share the news of this recognition with patients and referrers.”
Some GDPs may be considering entering for this award in the coming years. For those individuals, Michael offers advice and encouragement:
“I would absolutely encourage people in my position to enter for this award. It is a great opportunity to reflect on your cases, whether you win or not. The simple act of looking at the work you’ve completed is a great way to encourage yourself, and the process of applying is good too – just go for it!
“One piece of advice I’d offer to entrants is to earmark a number of interesting cases, with the knowledge that not everything has to be perfect. As part of your entry, it is important to include follow ups – so I’d recommend collecting cases as you go and keeping everything compiled. By doing this, it is far easier to submit all of the relevant factors for review.”
In 2017, whilst studying at the University of Glasgow, Michael also won the Harty Student Essay Prize. He discussed this experience too:
“I was encouraged by Professor Will McLean, who later became the BES President, to enter for the Harty Student Essay Prize. I have always had an interest in endodontology, and was eager to take things further. Will pointed me in the right direction, and I wrote an essay on the topic of resorption. This was a fantastic opportunity to learn a lot about a more complicated condition. Having won this prize, I was given the opportunity to attend the BES Regional Meeting in Edinburgh where I met lots of nice people. I believe this was my first experience of networking in dentistry, which was very valuable for me.”
“Whilst the profession has a big online community, day-to-day it can sometimes feel very focussed and independent, so I feel that the BES provides a good opportunity to connect with colleagues.”
For more information about the BES, or to join, please visit the website www.britishendodonticsociety.org.uk or call 07762945847
