A University of Portsmouth dental hygienist and therapist has won the first national Student of the Year award for excelling in her studies.

Madelaine Pearce, 21, graduated in 2017 and now works as a dental hygienist and therapist at the Market Place Dental Practice in Devizes, her home town. She was awarded the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT) and Henry Schein first national award.

For many years, BSDHT has sponsored a prize for all UK hygiene and therapy schools to be awarded to the student who had excelled in their studies, but this is the first time the winners from each school were eligible for the national award.

Madelaine was chosen for demonstrating exceptionally high standards throughout her studies and for going above and beyond in furthering the profile of the profession.

Madelaine said: ‘I was very surprised and honoured to receive the award and cannot express my gratitude enough for the support from the University's Dental Academy over the last three years. My research that contributed to the award was a literature review on whether humans are capable of continuous tooth regeneration’.

Dr Jo-Anne Taylor, dentist and clinical teaching fellow at the University of Portsmouth's Dental Academy, nominated Madelaine and said: ‘We are enormously proud of all our graduates who are ambassadors not only for the University of Portsmouth but for the profession. Madelaine was selected as our student of the year for most outstanding undergraduate research project, greatest increase in overall assessment scores between level five and six, and for contribution to patient care during her studies’.

Madelaine was presented with her award at the BSDHT Oral Health Conference in Harrogate in November. The prize included her travel and accommodation expenses to attend the conference and a trophy.