Outstanding achievements in the British Fluoridation Society essay prize
NewsPosted by: Dental Design 17th November 2023
In a showcase of intellect and dedication, the winners of the 2023 British Fluoridation Society (BFS) Essay Prize have been announced, highlighting remarkable contributions from each category: Undergraduate, Postgraduate, and Dental Care Professional.
Participants were challenged to explore the theme, “Water fluoridation is seen as a success in cities such as Birmingham and Newcastle. How would you ensure that such success is replicated throughout the rest of the United Kingdom?”
BFS chair Barry Cockcroft CBE, led the judging panel and expressed enthusiasm about the competition’s inaugural year, stating: “The response exceeded our expectations in both quantity and quality of entries. Witnessing the depth of engagement from entrants reaffirms that the topic of water fluoridation is thriving with promising initiatives on the horizon. It’s truly inspiring to see the younger generation invest the time and effort to craft compelling essays of up to 3000 words.”
The three winners and their prizes were: Yaqoub Imran (Undergraduate) essay prize: £500, Ryan Grocock (Postgraduate) essay prize: £1,000 and Lauren Stockham (Dental Care Professional) essay prize: £1,000.
Ryan Grocock (Postgraduate)
BFS secretary and panel member Ray Lowry echoed this sentiment, emphasising the impressive standard of entries. “The deliberation process took considerable time due to the quality displayed in each submission. Our heartfelt congratulations go to the well-deserving winners. This recognition underscores the merit of their contributions. We eagerly anticipate sharing their winning essays and remain optimistic about the potential developments for the issue, the Society, and these gifted colleagues.”
Panel member Gaby Bisset, editor of Dentistry.co.uk, added a perspective from outside the specialised field, saying, “As a journalist and editor, it was my responsibility to ensure that the winning entries could withstand scrutiny from individuals beyond the realm of water fluoridation specialists.
“The 2023 British Fluoridation Essay Prize emphasises the importance of ongoing discussions in the domain of water fluoridation.”
