Wrigley Prophylaxis Prize 2024

The awards were presented: Telemedicine for senior citizens with intraoral 3D scans, help for neglected children's teeth and implementation of oral care standards for people with disabilities.

The Wrigley Prophylaxis Award is one of the most prestigious awards in dentistry. An independent jury of scientists and a representative from the public health sector evaluates work from research and practice that contributes to the improvement of oral health. Since its foundation in 1994, the prize has been under the patronage of the German Society for Dental Preservation (DGZ). The sponsor is the scientific initiative "Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program". The background to this is that chewing sugar-free gum after meals, together with brushing your teeth and eating healthily, form the three core recommendations of the medical guideline for caries prevention, which everyone can implement on their own responsibility every day.

✰ 1st place Practice & Society: Neglected children, what to do?

Domestic violence has many faces. One is child neglect, which also includes "dental neglect" - the neglect of oral health, which manifests itself in tooth damage and tooth decay. In these cases, responsible caregivers do not realize that treatment is necessary despite dental advice and do not keep appointments.

In order to help these children, Prof. Dr. Dr. Bettina Pfleiderer, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Münster, and her team have founded the "Dentists see more than teeth!" initiative, which has also been awarded 4,500 euros. At the heart of the initiative are specially developed training materials for students and practising dentists to impart in-depth knowledge so that affected children can be better identified and the right steps taken.

The initiators are also aiming to incorporate the topic of domestic violence and dental neglect into the teaching of dentistry courses. Training sessions with simulation patients are also planned, as well as the development of materials for dental practices - e.g. posters, flyers or badges for lab coats, which signal to those affected that they can address this sensitive topic in this practice.

Read the full information in a press release by Wrigley, translated by us