Overall, £30,000 has been allocated to provide two British Fluoridation Society Career Development Fellowships. The first was awarded to principal dental surgeon Patrick Quinn in November 2023.
The BFS intends to appoint its second fellowship by March 2024 to start in June 2024, and is seeking applications from dental professionals at the beginning of their career with an interest in water fluoridation.
Ray Lowry, BFS secretary, explained, “This is an exciting career development opportunity for someone at the start of their professional career.
“Water fluoridation plays a significant role in preventing dental caries and securing good dental health for all.
“Despite its long history as a successful oral health intervention, only 10 per cent of the UK population drinks fluoridated water, and these people are benefitting from schemes that were introduced decades ago.
“Globally, more than four hundred million people have access to fluoridated water, and we are seeing an increase in political enthusiasm, including here in the UK, for more community water fluoridation schemes.
“Together with The Borrow Foundation, we have identified a need to bolster the professional foundation for fluoridation to keep research relevant, and to encourage our younger colleagues to pursue the issue as a viable career interest.
“Through our fellowship programme, we aim to help build a modern UK database of evidence and to encourage up and coming colleagues to engage in the subject. The BFS is the obvious organisation to initiate this sort of intervention as we work to support the next generation of fluoridation advocates.”
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to meet leaders in the field and work to develop a unique insight into water fluoridation and the issues surrounding it, using the fellowship funding and BFS international partnership networks.
Barry Cockcroft, former chief dental officer and BFS chair, added, “This is an important investment in the future of water fluoridation, underpinning its effectiveness as a safe dental health intervention for future generations.
“We envisage the successful fellow will organise a suitable research or attachment programme that will include connecting with relevant colleagues and institutions in the UK and abroad, which will result in a formal end-of-fellowship report and, if appropriate, a publication in a recognised academic journal.”
The closing date for applications is 31 March 2024.
For more information visit https://bfsweb.org/career-development/