Shirley Glasstone Hughes Trust Fund awards 160k GBP in research grants

Two grants, worth a total of almost £160,000, have been awarded by the Shirley Glasstone Hughes Trust Fund for research projects that will examine the role of dentists' anxieties in clinical decision making and the impact of the choice of linings under amalgam fillings have on outcomes for patients. The winning projects were selected by an international panel of experts, following a comprehensive peer review process of all the applications received.

Dr Peter Thornley, a Birmingham based general dental practitioner, has been awarded £81,849 for a three-year randomised controlled trial to identify whether different lining materials used under amalgam restorations have a significant effect on clinical outcomes. It is hoped that the study's results will make it easier for dentists to select the optimum treatment options for their patients.

Dr Helen Chapman, a dentist based in Solihull, has been awarded £77,357 to carry out a 15-month study to explore the issues that contribute to dentists' anxieties in a primary care setting and how these influence patient care. Dr Chapman also intends to develop and pilot a 'coping skills' package to mitigate the 'fear' factor that may play a role in the clinical decisions made by dentists.

Commenting on behalf of the SGH Management Committee, Chair of the Trustees of the Fund, Professor Liz Kay, said:

"The grants provided by the Shirley Glasstone Hughes Trust Fund seek to advance the role of evidence in everyday clinical practice and expand the research base that underpins dental care. We are delighted to be providing grants to two further projects which seek to achieve exactly those goals. Our congratulations go to both winning bids, which have been selected from a very strong pool of entries