BSSCD members may only submit once per prize on which they are the presenting (first) author but it is permissible to be a co-author on multiple abstracts. It is expected that, in keeping with normal publication protocol, the first author (the presenting author) has made the greatest contribution to the work described. All co-authors must have approved the submission. Furthermore, no submissions should have been presented previously at a National or International scientific meeting or have been published.
For the clinical, audit and poster prizes, the presenter must register for the BSSCD Spring Conference. Failure to do so, after acceptance of an abstract, may result in the abstract being withdrawn.
Preparation of abstracts
Abstracts should be prepared according to the protocol given below. There are three main formats for abstracts described. In the case of the travel award, applicants should select the most appropriate abstract format for their work. Failure to adhere to the detailed format for abstract preparation will result in the rejection of the abstract.
General instructions for all abstracts
- Use 12 point Arial font
- Title should be no more than 12 words
- The presenting author should be listed first and co-authors thereafter.
- Give surnames followed by up to two initials
- Give affiliations for each author on line below names
- The main body of the abstract text should not be more than 250 words
- Provide the name of any funding body, if applicable, at the bottom of the abstract
Specific instructions for a clinical case abstract
Use the following subtitles in your abstract as appropriate:
- Background
- Presenting problem
- Clinical management
- Discussion
Specific instructions for an audit abstract
Use the following subtitles in your abstract as appropriate:
- Background
- Aim
- Standard(s) (n/a for service evaluation)
- Process
- Results
- Discussion
- Action plan
Specific instructions for a travel award abstract
Give details of conference where abstract is to be presented
Confirm the abstract has not been previously presented at a scientific meeting
Specific instructions for a poster prize abstract
Follow the general instructions and any relevant specific instructions above
Specific instructions for an essay
Essays should also contain a short abstract no longer than 250 words which is able to stand alone and follows the general instructions and any relevant specific instructions above. The abstracts word count will not contribute to the essay’s word limit. The essays should be structured in the same format as for the relevant abstract. Research submissions should be structured as follows:
- Introduction
- Materials and Methods
- Results
- Discussion
- Conclusions
All submitted essay will be considered for publication in the Journal for Disability and Oral Health (JODH) and as such must meet the criteria set by JDOH. This information can be accessed via the following link https://www.bsdh.org/index.php/instructions-for-authors/16-journal/120-content-and-style