Poster presentation by Neve Hattie

Neve Hattie’s poster presentation at the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (EAPD) conference in Liverpool.

Attending the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (EAPD) conference in Liverpool was a memorable milestone for me, as it was my very first conference. I had the opportunity to present the poster I made as part of my research on the NECTAR study. The poster, ‘Mapping the Journey: Geospatial Insights into Care Pathways for Children with Caries’, explores how paediatric dental services are distributed across England and what this means for access to care. 

As this was my first conference, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but one of the highlights was meeting so many new people. It was a great opportunity to introduce myself to researchers and clinicians working in paediatric dentistry, hear about their projects, and share the work we are doing through NECTAR. Everyone was incredibly welcoming, and it was encouraging to see how open people were to discussing ideas and making new connections. I came away with a greater appreciation of how important these events are for networking and learning from others in the field. 

Outside of the conference sessions, we also had the opportunity to explore Liverpool. The Royal Albert Dock’s, museums and restaurants were great settings to catch up with colleagues. 

One limitation of the poster exhibition was the availability of only a single poster screen for presenter discussions. This reduced the visibility of many posters and limited opportunities for delegates to engage with the full range of research on display.  

Despite this, the conference was an incredibly positive experience and a wonderful introduction to the research community. I'm grateful to have represented the NECTAR study, shared our work with an international audience, and returned with new ideas, valuable contacts and plenty of inspiration for the next stages of the project. I hope it's the first of many conferences to come. 

Neve Hattie’s poster, presented at the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (EAPD) conference in Liverpool