King’s clinician awarded surgical prize
Mr Robert Bentley presented with the Down Surgical Prize
Mr Robert Bentley, Craniofacial and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon at King’s College Hospital, has been honoured with the highest award by the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS) for 2023.
The Down Surgical Prize and medal is awarded annually to a person or persons who are judged to have made a major contribution to oral and maxillofacial surgery in the widest sense.
Mr Bentley, who was the 59th President of his Association in 2020, was presented the prize in Oxford at BAOMS annual scientific conference in July.
Mr Bentley was appointed as a consultant in Craniofacial and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at King’s in May 2000 and became Clinical Lead in 2001, helping to transform the service in south-east London, working with system partners to deliver a geographical and population-based network with King’s as its hub.
He was appointed as Clinical Director for Major Trauma at King’s in 2008 and led the successful bid for the Major Trauma Centre in April 2010. He served as the Clinical Director for the South East London Kent and Medway (SELKaM) Major Trauma Director from 2010, from which he stood down in May of this year. He was Director of Surgery at King’s from 2013 to 2016.
Mr Bentley continues to be the National Clinical Director for Major Trauma with NHS England and is the National Clinical Chair for NHSE Specialised Commissioning Trauma Programme of Care (NPoC), roles he has held from April 2020 and 2022 respectively.
Commenting on receiving the Down Prize Robert said, “I am deeply honoured to have been chosen by my association to be the recipient of this award, which together with my Presidency, represents the pinnacle of my achievements in the specialty which I love so passionately. It is a reflection of the whole King’s Oral and Maxillofacial Service, a unit of national and international excellence that we have helped establish over the last 24 years.