Conference abstract and prize committee (CAPC)

Responsibilities
The above committee will be responsible for:
  • Selection of one (or two) winners of the annual Max Horsnell travel award (Chair and BSPD president only)
  • Selection of one winner of the National Student Elective Prize (Chair and BSPD president only)
  • Selection of up to six best entries from abstracts submitted to the four different prize categories: research, clinical, poster and audit
  • Selection of a winner from each of the prize categories following presentations at the annual BSPD conference
  • Informing the BSPD secretary of the winners to ensure prize money and certificates are awarded at the conference dinner
  • Revision, as necessary, of prize entry criteria and methods of assessment to ensure the process is transparent and fit for purpose
  • Providing an annual written report to BSPD council (March meeting)
 
Membership
Members will serve on CAPC for a term of office, as indicated below, which will start from the September BSPD council meeting. Membership will be selected to ensure there is wide representation and expertise across academic and clinical paediatric dentistry. Inclusion of specialist registrars will provide a training opportunity and will encourage peer-review. The committee will comprise eight members as follows:
 
  • BSPD President (one year office)
  • Chairman of the local organising committee (one year office)
  • BSPD Editor of the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry (for period of editorship, which is approximately five years)
  • One nominee from the Clinical Effectiveness Committee (three year office)
  • One nominee from the consultants’ group (three year office)
  • One nominee from the teachers’ branch (three year office)
  • One nominee from the trainees’ group (one year office)
  • One nominee from the specialists’ branch (three year office)
A Chair will be elected from the above membership, and should ideally be a member who holds a three year office. In the situation where a CAPC member is unable to attend the conference, or partake in judging due to a conflict of interest, the Chair will co-opt an appropriate BSPD member as a temporary substitute.
 
Communication
It is expected that all communication will be electronic and the committee will not need to meet formally. Communication with the BSPD secretariat will also be via e-mail or telephone.
 
Max Horsnell travel award
Abstracts for the Max Horsnell travel award will be sent to the Chair of CAPC and BSPD president from the central secretariat via e-mail together with the relevant score sheet (see appendix A) by 15th February. Abstracts will be scored and the marks returned to the secretariat by 28th February. The secretariat will inform the Chair of the winning applicant/s and letters will be sent to all applicants from the CAPC chair informing them of the outcome by 1st March. The winning entry(s) will be sent their certificate and cheque as soon as possible after this date.
 
National Student Elective Prize
Abstracts for the Elective Prize will be sent to the Chair of CAPC and BSPD president from the central secretariat via e-mail together with the relevant score sheet (see appendix D) by 18th December. Abstracts will be scored and the marks returned to the secretariat by 2nd January. The secretariat will inform the Chair of the winning applicant/s and letters will be sent to all applicants from the CAPC chair informing them of the outcome by 1st February. The winning entry(s) will be sent their certificate and cheque as soon as possible after this date.
 
Research, clinical, poster and audit prizes
All abstracts for the prize categories, together with appropriate score sheets (see appendices E to I), will be sent to all CAPC members by 15th April. Abstracts will be scored and returned by 30th April. The scores will be collated and the members will be informed of the six highest scoring entries in each category by 15th May. In the event of there being more than six high scoring entries due to equal scores being allocated to multiple entries, CAPC members will be asked to rank the lowest scored entries. Should a tie still occur, the Chair will have the casting vote, or may, may, in very exceptional circumstances include an additional entry. The entrants will be informed of the outcomes by 31st May and all conference abstracts must be sent to the Editor of the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry by this date to meet publication deadlines.
 
Prior to the conference, the Chair will allocate members to judge the four different prize sessions (three members to preside at each of the prize sessions). One member, within each group, will chair their panel and will be responsible for giving the Chair the completed score sheets (see Appendices C-F) and the winner’s details. The Chair will inform the BSPD honorary secretary so that the prize money and certificates can be prepared for presentation at the conference dinner. It is expected that winners will be announced by the BSPD president.