Highly commended self-help guide

A self-help guide for children who are scared of the dentist called Your teeth you are in control was highly commended at the prestigious British Medical Association Patient Information Awards 2017 held at BMA House in London on 18 September. The guide was also shortlisted for a special award for innovative resources aimed at children.

The development of the resources was led by academics at the School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield and uses cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques to reduce children's anxiety about going to the dentist. The resources have been designed with children to help them work with their dentist. The team found that 73% of children felt a lot less worried about visiting the dentist after using the resources.

The research was published in JDR Clinical and Translational Research, funded by a grant from the National Institute for Health Research and sponsored by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Trust.1

Poster prize winner

Jonathan Davies, a PhD student from the Plymouth University Peninsula School of Dentistry, has won the Unilever Poster Prize for his poster and presentation focused on Primary Sjögren's Syndrome (PSS) and the use of stem cells in salivary gland regeneration. By developing a 3D model of the salivary gland, Jon was able to investigate the role that cells performed in the gland's development and regeneration, and how these cells are affected by PSS. By eventually identifying how to start the regeneration mechanism, it could help to improve the quality of life for patients with the condition.

The Unilever Poster Prize was awarded at the British Society for Oral and Dental Research (BSODR) annual conference, which was held in Plymouth last month.

Honorary Doctorate

Sara Hurley, CDO for England, has received an Honorary Doctorate of Health from the University of Plymouth at a ceremony on the city's waterfront alongside graduates from the Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry.