Dental Research Competition 2026
For undergraduate dental students in South Africa and Namibia
This research competition from Dental Protection, in partnership with The MPS Foundation, is run annually for dental undergraduates in South Africa and Namibia. It is open to students of dentistry, dental hygiene, and dental therapy.
The aim is to inspire undergraduates to engage in research and to help improve patient safety, mitigate risk, and enhance the wellbeing of healthcare professionals. The competition has three categories – any one of which undergraduate students can choose to enter. They may choose to submit a research proposal or a completed project.
Watch our Research at your fingertips webinar series that will introduce you to the fundamentals of research and help shape your submission to the competition.
Cash prizes to be won
- Each university winner for each of the professional groups will receive R4,000 for completed projects or R1,000 for proposals and a certificate. Commended entrants will also receive a certificate.
- University winners of completed projects will compete for a national prize of R15,000 and a certificate for each professional group.
- All winners and commended entrants will be invited by Dental Protection to publish their research for Dental Protection members and the wider healthcare community.
THE AIMS OF THIS COMPETITION ARE TO:
Support dental/dental therapy/oral hygiene students in developing their understanding and expertise in important areas of patient safety, risk reduction, and the wellbeing of healthcare professionals.
Raise the profile and generate an interest in research among dental undergraduates, to build research capability and capacity for the future in the dental sector.
Recognise, celebrate, and reward excellence demonstrated by the competition entrants in patient safety and risk reduction.
How to enter
The competition is open to all dental/dental therapy/oral hygiene students in South Africa and Namibia, as well as graduates undertaking their year of internship or community service. Entrants must be undergraduates at the time of entry into the competition or have graduated from university in the previous 12 months. You can enter either as an individual or as part of a team. All members of a team must be undergraduates or newly qualified.
The deadline for submission is 30 September 2026 at 17.00 SAST.
How to submit your competition entry
Click to jump to section for full details:
For other questions please read the competition FAQs.
1. How to register your interest
Complete your details on our online competition portal. You can do this at any time from 19 March 2026. Please note that you’ll have to register before submitting your entry.
2. Preparing your competition entry
Entrants should choose from one of three categories to submit their entry to. These categories are:
- Quality improvement project that has application for patient safety, risk mitigation, or the wellbeing of healthcare professionals in dentistry.
- Presentation of a case managed during the final year that showcases elements of patient safety and risk mitigation preceded by a mini systematic review.
- Small-scale research on patient safety, risk mitigation, or the wellbeing of healthcare professionals in dentistry.
Visit our guidelines and terms and conditions to learn more.
3. How to submit your entry
The deadline for submission is 30 September 2026 at 17.00 SAST.
To enter the competition, you’ll need to submit an entry which includes the following information:
- The name of your university
- Your professional group (ie dentistry, dental therapy, or oral hygiene)
- Whether the project is by an individual or a team of students
- The category in which your project falls
- Whether your submission is a research proposal or a completed project
- The title of your proposal or project
- The rationale for your proposal or project
- How the proposal or project would be or was undertaken
- The anticipated findings of the proposal or the results of the project
- How the anticipated findings or results could impact your practice and the practice of others
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be a Dental Protection member to enter the competition?
No, we welcome entries from all undergraduate dental/dental therapy/oral hygiene students in South Africa and Namibia.
Who is eligible to participate in the competition?
The competition is open to undergraduate dental/dental therapy/oral hygiene students in South Africa and Namibia. Entrants must be undergraduates still on their course or have graduated from university in the last 12 months at the time of entry into the competition.
How can I register for the competition?
Complete your details on our online competition portal. You can do this at any time from 19 March 2026. Submissions close 30 September 2026. Please note that you’ll have to register before submitting your entry.
What are the criteria for judging competition entries?
The competition entries will be assessed by a panel of judges. Learn more about the judging criteria and rubric.
Can I submit more than one competition entry at the same time?
Yes, provided you submit one proposal and one completed project. You cannot however enter multiple proposal submissions in any one year.
Entrants can submit a completed research project without first having to submit a proposal.
Entrants can submit both the proposal and the subsequent research project undertaken as two separate competition submissions.
Entrants can submit a proposal without submitting a completed project based on the proposal.
When is the submission deadline?
The deadline for submission is 30 September 2026 at 17.00 SAST.
What are the prizes and awards for the winners?
Each university winner for each of the professional groups will receive R4,000 and a certificate. Each professional group proposal winner will receive R1,000. Commended entrants will also receive a certificate. The university project winners will compete for a national prize of R15,000 and a certificate for the overall winner. All winners and commended entrants of completed projects will be invited by Dental Protection to publish their research for Dental Protection members and the wider healthcare community.
How and when will the results be announced?
Award notification date for winners will be in October 2026.