The Dental Defence Union (DDU) has announced the three award-winners in its annual Educational Awards after a closely fought contest. The winner in the DCP Teacher of the Year was Sheila Phillips, School of Professionals Complementary to Dentistry, Portsmouth. The Dentist Teacher of the Year winner was Mark Greenwood, University of Newcastle, and VT Trainer of the Year was won by Mike Kelly of Kent, Surrey and Sussex Deanery.

Left to right, Rupert Hoppenbrouwers, Head of the DDU, Mark Greenwood, winner Dentist Teacher of the Year and Peter Rees, General manager, Dentsply.

Rupert Hoppenbrouwers, head of the DDU, presented all six finalists with a certificate, trophy and a cheque for £250 at the fourth awards event in London. The winners also received £1000 towards the cost of educational materials for their schools or VT schemes. Mr Hoppenbrouwers said, “Our congratulations to all the finalists and particularly to Sheila Phillips, Mike Kelly and Mark Greenwood who have so clearly demonstrated the many ways in which the best dental teachers and trainers can motivate and inspire their students and trainees.”

During the event, the finalists in the Dentist and DCP Teacher of the Year categories went head-to-head to demonstrate the innovative ways in which they had made a positive educational impact on students.

These included the use of online learning, mentoring, actor patients with whom students could practice taking clinical histories, and even a dental version of the television quiz, Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Following the presentations, the two finalists in each category were quizzed by the judging panel and by the audience about their work, including how they responded to difficult students; the benefits and limits of technology in teaching; and how they ensured that students recognised their ethical and professional obligations.