EFP Undergraduate Essay Competition on AI and the human touch

The EFP has launched its Undergraduate Essay Competition 2025, offering students a chance to win free registration for EuroPerio11, taking place in Vienna from 14 to 17 May 2025, and €500 to support travel expenses. Two winners will be selected, and their essays will be published on the EFP website.

Organised by the EFP education committee, the competition is open to undergraduate dental students and dental hygienist/therapist students currently enrolled at schools in countries with EFP-affiliated national societies. It offers a unique opportunity for students to contribute to the debate about one of the most pressing issues in modern dentistry: the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into clinical practice.

Essay topic: preserving the human touch in an AI-driven future

This year’s essay topic is both timely and thought-provoking: "How can artificial intelligence shape the future of dentistry and periodontology while preserving the human touch?"

AI is transforming the landscape of oral healthcare through innovations in diagnostics, imaging, and data analysis. But with these advancements come new challenges, particularly in maintaining empathy, ethical reasoning, and the personalised care that lies at the heart of the dental profession. Entrants are invited to explore how technology can be harnessed to improve care while ensuring that the human connection remains central.

Participants are encouraged to draw on personal experiences and cultural perspectives, proposing creative and practical solutions that reflect real-world thinking. The competition places a strong emphasis on originality and authenticity, and essays must demonstrate ideas that cannot be generated by artificial intelligence.

Submission guidelines

The competition calls for an opinion essay of 400 to 600 words (excluding references), written in English. Entrants should reflect on the role of AI in balancing innovation with human-centred care. Essays can include:

• A personal or clinical example illustrating the benefits or challenges of AI in dentistry, with emphasis on the role of human judgment and creativity
• Ethical, cultural, or professional reflections on the implementation of AI in dental care
• Optional practical suggestions for maintaining empathy and trust in AI-enhanced dental practice

All essays must be the students’ original work. Any use of language models must be declared, and references should be formatted in the style of the Journal of Clinical Periodontology.

To enter, students must submit a single PDF document to Monica Guinea, EFP European coordinator (monica@efp.org), by 21 April 2025.

The PDF must be named using the format LastName_FirstName_Country.pdf. The first page should include contact details, dental school name and location, course of study, and year of enrolment. The second page should begin the essay, formatted in Arial 11pt font with 1.5 line spacing. A signed statement from a staff member (e.g., head of periodontology) confirming the student’s status and permission to attend EuroPerio11 must also be included.

The winners will be notified privately in early May 2025 and celebrated publicly during the EuroPerio11 closing ceremony in Vienna. Beyond the prize money and free congress registration, the competition offers students the chance to engage with the global dental community and gain recognition for their insight and originality.

Submit your essay by 21 April 2025 and join your colleagues in Vienna for EuroPerio11. Don’t miss out!