Last year's winners: Mike (left), Sheila and Mark

Students and vocational dental practitioners (VDPs) can help get outstanding dental teachers recognised by nominating them for Dental Care Professional (DCP) Teacher of the Year, one of the categories in the Dental Defence Union's (DDU's) annual Educational Awards, now in its fifth year. Spots in the categories of DCP Teacher of the Year, Dentist Teacher of the Year and Vocational Teacher of the Year are up for grabs and will be presented at an awards ceremony in London in November. Winners and runners-up will be awarded £250 each and in addition, the overall winners in each category will receive £1,000 towards the cost of educational materials for their schools or VT schemes.

Students and VDPs in the UK and Ireland can nominate a teacher by completing a nomination form, by 31 July 2007, which is then reviewed by the DDU and a panel of judges. Forms are available on the DDU website (www.the-ddu.com/dduawards) or from a DDU dental liaison manager. Students and VDPs who submit an entry will be entered into a prize draw to win an iPod.

The winner in each category will be chosen following a presentation by finalists at the awards ceremony. Awards will be judged across a number of criteria, including knowledge of the subject and ability to motivate. The DDU awards' main sponsor is Dentsply, while the BDA is also supporting the initiative. The winners of the DDU Educational Awards in 2006 were Mark Greenwood from the University of Newcastle, Mike Kelly from Kent, Surrey and Sussex Deanery and Sheila Phillips of the School of Professionals Complementary to Dentistry, Portsmouth who won Dentist Teacher of the Year, Vocational Trainer of the Year and DCP Teacher of the Year respectively.