It is with enormous pride and delight that we write to share news about the Faculty of General Dental Practitioners annual awards for 2021.
Not one, not two, but three awards were presented to Bristol students and recent graduates! This is wonderful news and we extend our warmest congratulations to the winners. They are:
Final year BDS student Sneha Chotaliya
Sneha was awarded the Nik Pandya Student Award. The Award highlights the exceptional achievements and contributions of BDS students and was given to Sneha in recognition of her effective use of visual and verbal communication to successfully treat several patients with additional needs, her outstanding achievements in medical research and a variety of voluntary roles. Following a trip to India, Sneha realised many communities were unaware of basic dental hygiene and the effects of tobacco, due to an information barrier. To address this, she created a website to share information in audio and visual formats in several Asian languages. Sneha writes a research blog and has delivered talks based on her research, leading to her intercalating with a Master’s degree in medical research. She has won grants to present her research at five different conferences and recently won a national prize for the Best Oral Presentation at the UK National Intercalators INSPIRE Conference for healthcare students. Her extensive volunteering work includes mentoring students from underprivileged and disadvantaged backgrounds wishing to pursue a career in healthcare.
In lieu of the presentation ceremony, which could not take place this year, Sneha was so kind as to ask Professor Barbour to present her trophy; here they are in CSL celebrating the moment.
2020 graduate Pouya Zohrabpour
Pouya, who graduated in 2020, was awarded the Foundation Dentist Award, which is open to all GDC-registered dentists in a Foundation Training post, and focusses on all-round performance. The award recognises Pouya’s impressive clinical development, training initiatives for young dentists and overall positive, proactive and professional manner. He was commended for his holistic approach and attention to patient needs during his first CoCr denture case, creating a digital mock-up to predict how the incorporation of clasps may interfere with the patient’s smile line. His audit on fallow times facilitated more clinical time for his practice, and he transformed the practice website with a virtual walk-through video. As well as his FD work, he successfully runs a dental training YouTube channel, recommended by several university lecturers, has created oral health videos for primary schools with the ‘MyDentalCare’ app, and co-authored a book.
We contacted Pouya to congratulate him, and he shared the following words, a link to his youtube channel Two Dentists, and this photo of him with his award:
“I’m so happy and honoured to have won this award. I’m very thankful to all the Bristol students and staff members for their continuous support! This could not have been possible with you! Thank you!”
2020 graduate Asha Pandya-Sharpe
Asha, who also graduated in 2020, was Highly Commended in the same Foundation Dentist Award for her impressive clinical ability, commitment to CPD and reflection, showing great insight into how to improve her practice. We contacted Asha this week to congratulate her, and she shared the following comments and this photo:
‘I’ve had an amazing year during my foundation year, and thanks to my ES and a few other mentors, I’ve learned more than I could have hoped for. Receiving this award for simply enjoying my year whilst making the most of every opportunity possible is something I’m proud of’.
You can read more about the awards at this link. Please join us in celebrating these exceptional achievements and congratulating Sneha, Pouya and Asha!
good job, thanks
Dent Market Turkiye