The NASDAL Dental Check by One Practice of the Year Award was presented at the BDIA Dental Showcase in March 2025.

Jason Wong, chief dental officer (CDO) England, Heidi Marshall, chair of the National Association of Specialist Dental Accountants and Lawyers (NASDAL) and Shannu Bhatia, president of the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) awarded Brook Lane Dental Surgery, Felixstowe, as the winners. The dental practice also received a £1000 prize.

Varsha Tulse, principal of Brook Lane Dental Surgery, said, “My team and I are absolutely delighted and honoured to receive the NASDAL Dental Check by One (DCby1) Practice of The Year Award 2025. At Brook Lane Dental Surgery, we are committed to promoting healthy smiles through early intervention and education. Our dedication to the DCby1 initiative reflects our strong belief that dental visits should begin as early as possible.

“By combining creativity, compassion, and a deep commitment to our community, we take pride in leading the way in promoting early dental care. We look forward to building on this success, dedicating more of our time and resources to spreading the DCby1 message to as many people as possible.”

The award is presented each year by NASDAL to recognise the outstanding commitment of practices to the DCby1 campaign. Launched by the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) in partnership with the Office of the Chief Dental Officer England, the aim of the campaign is to increase the number of children who access dental care aged 0 to two years, by encouraging dental appointments for babies before their first birthday.

Jason commented, “Promoting good oral health in young children is a top priority and it’s one that is closer to being realised thanks to the work of the BSPD and their DCby1 initiative. I’m grateful to NASDAL who, thanks to their annual sponsorship of the award, have enabled a spotlight to be shone on colleague’s incredible work in this domain. Every year as I read the award entries I am delighted by the dedication and creativity that practices up and down the country put into supporting children having a dental examination as soon as possible. There can only be one winner however and I’d like to offer my personal congratulations to Brook Lane Dental Surgery. I commend the practice for their community engagement in visiting local schools, hosting ‘Tooth Fairy’ days and even participating in local radio phone-ins. Varsha and her team are an asset to the profession.”

Heidi said, “I look forward to judging the award every year and to see the tremendous efforts put in by practices all over the country is humbling. We created this award with the view that the £1000 that the winning practice receives will enable them to achieve even more access for children and babies moving forward. It is abundantly clear that it means so much to many practices and at NASDAL we feel honoured to be able to support this initiative.

“I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to our winner, Brook Lane Dental Surgery. The ‘Tooth Fairy’ days that the whole team ran sound like great fun for all and importantly will help reduce dental anxiety in children. The practice actively visits local preschools, engaging children and teachers in interactive sessions that emphasise the importance of brushing and good oral hygiene. Varsha regularly contributes to Felixstowe’s local radio station’s Community Hour, offering practical oral health advice, addressing listener questions, and raising awareness about initiatives like DCby1. Her warm and informative approach has made her a trusted voice in the community.

“The practice has also received the support of local leaders, including the Felixstowe mayor and local councillor. Alongside features in local newspapers, this underscores the positive impact of the team’s efforts in promoting children’s dental health. They are a very worthy winner of the NASDAL DCby1 Practice of the Year 2025 award.”

Heidi also recognised Together Dental Daventry, Blenheim Road Dental Practice and West Earlham Dental Practice, who won Highly Commended awards for their efforts.

She added, “Well done to all of them and the fact we bestowed three Highly Commended awards reflects the high overall standard of entries in 2025.”

Shannu said, “BSPD was impressed with all the entries and our congratulations go to Brook Lane Dental Surgery on their win - and we are delighted to give recognition to the three Highly Commended practices. The society is hugely heartened to see a significant increase in the number of entries this year to DCby1. We launched this initiative eight years ago and to witness engagement of this preventative approach growing means we are moving in the right direction towards paediatric dentistry recovery. We know that good habits learned in the early years will set children on the right path to a lifetime of good oral health. The BSPD is very proud of this renewed passion amongst so many dental practices up and down the country to target the very youngest in our communities.”

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