A dental nurse from Plymouth has been voted ‘top of the class' by a national exam board for her results and achievements while she was training.
Rebecca Smith-Wightman, 25, was presented with the National Examining Board for Dental Nurses Gold Award at a special event at the University of Plymouth.
The Gold Award, provided by the Kamlesh Kumari Mehan Memorial Trust, recognises the most outstanding student out of a total of 3,020 candidates. The board praised Rebecca for being 'knowledgeable, committed, and dedicated to dental nursing and the dental profession' and someone 'willing to share her knowledge and experience with colleagues'.
Rebecca said: 'It was a brilliant feeling to be recognised for all the hard work I had done over the previous 18 months. I had no idea I was going to receive the award on the night, and it was great that my family and friends could be there to see it.'
The Gold Award was given to Rebecca by Professor Richard Stephenson, dean of the Faculty of Health and Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University of Plymouth, at the presentation ceremony for those students receiving their National Certificate in Dental Nursing.
Rebecca also received a cheque for £200, a commemorative gold badge and certificate, and The Peninsula Achievement Award, sponsored by Peninsula Dental School, for her commitment to learning and gaining a distinction in her National Examination.
Rebecca, who works at Mount Wise Dental Practice, in Plymouth, Devon, added: 'I wanted to give my best and so I hit the books and worked as hard as I could. There was no secret other than hard work – although we did hold some study groups and it was great to be able to bounce ideas off my fellow students.'
