Two new prizes have been created by the Dental Law and Ethics Forum (DLEF) to inspire young dental professionals to engage with ethical issues in dentistry. Recently qualified dental professionals in one of two categories are invited to submit an essay by the deadline date of July 30. For both winning entries, the prize is £250 and the opportunity to present to the December meeting of the forum.
The DLEF is a group of influential people in the dental world who meet several times a year for talks given by experts in the world of dento-legal and medical ethics. Established 23 years ago, the forum provides valuable opportunities for debate and networking.
The first essay prize is for first year registrants on the topic of: “Is it ever permissible to breach the confidentiality of a patient?” This essay can be up to 1,000 words long. The second is for registrants who have been qualified for between two and five years on the topic of “What is the standard of care expected of a specialist?” The word limit for this essay is 1,500 words.
Chris Morris, current president of the DLEF and dually qualified as a dentist and a lawyer, commented, “The essay prizes are designed to encourage reflection on challenging contemporary topics which touch on patient safety and patient confidentiality. They explore the kind of issues that the indemnity organisations deal with on a regular basis and may appeal to dental professionals who are hoping to develop a portfolio career or who have an interest in the dento-legal world.”