Lisa Brocklesby, a Dental Officer with Community Dental Services CIC (CDS), has been awarded the Best Poster Presentation Award at the 4th EA4SD *1 and 9th ECOSEP *2 International Conference for Sports Medicine and Dentistry, held in Dusseldorf in November. Her research shining a spotlight on para-athletes – a population under-represented in sports dentistry *3.
Lisa completed her MSc in Sports Dentistry and Oral Health at the Eastman Dental Institute, London (2020–2023). During her final study year, she conducted a research project exploring the oral health attitudes and behaviours of UK para-athletes, drawing on her extensive experience gained through working with CDS.
Encouraged by course tutors John Haughey and Professor Peter D. Fine to create a poster presentation of her research focussing on para-athletes, Lisa was accepted into the conference to share her insight and advocate for para-athletes.
Her poster presentation was titled “Feasibility Study Exploring the Oral Health Status and Behaviours of Para-Athletes in the UK”; with Lisa’s study aiming to identify links between the study group’s oral health and athletic performance and found “their disabilities and impairments sometimes place this unique population at an even greater risk of oral diseases and trauma, which could result in further systemic health challenges.”
Throughout the three-day event, Lisa engaged with sports dentists and medics from across the globe and on the final day, during the conference’s closing ceremony, was surprised to be named winner of the Best Poster Presentation Award.
Lisa said. “I’ve worked incredibly hard over the past few years, and to have this recognised on an international stage is truly rewarding. I am proud of this work and committed to continuing to advocate for para-athletes within sports dentistry.”
Lisa will be offering teaching on Dental Trauma and Trauma in Sport through CDS’s Learning Academy in 2026.
References
*1 EA4SD (European Association for Sports Dentistry)
*2 ECOSEP (European College of Sports and Exercise Physicians)
*3 “A limited number of studies have shown that para-athletes often face unique oral health challenges due to their disabilities and the physical demands of their sports”. (Brancher et al., 2021; Akerman., 2013).
