The British Society of Paediatric Dentistry's (BSPD's) Outstanding Innovation Award (OIA), which celebrates inspiring and innovative schemes to improve the oral health of children, enters its sixth year in 2022. Entries are invited from people who have established a scheme with a demonstrable impact on children's oral health. By creating positive publicity around innovative schemes, BSPD's aim is to encourage, promote and disseminate good practice.

The prize for the winner is free attendance for a day of the BSPD conference and the opportunity to make a presentation. The winner of the Outstanding Innovation Award for 2021 was Simon Hearnshaw who entered on behalf of the North Yorkshire and Humber Local Dental Network for their 'In practice prevention scheme'. This innovative scheme which targeted families in deprived areas demonstrated that with the right approach, flexible commissioning works.

Other previous winners of OIA are: 2020 Linzi Maybin for her Happy Teeth Outreach project; 2019 Helen Rogers for establishing CONNECT Trainees; 2018 Ben Underwood for Brush DJ, the music-based toothbrushing app; 2017 Ingrid Perry for Teeth Team.

The deadline for submission to be considered for OIA 2022 is 31 December 2021. For more information visit: https://www.bspd.co.uk/Professionals/Awards-and-Prizes/The-Outstanding-Innovation-Award.