WVU Dental Hygiene student makes impact on oral cancer awareness
After volunteering at an oral cancer screening event, West Virginia University student Abbie Ash discovered the importance of early detection — sparking her passion for helping others through education and advocacy.
Ash, now a senior in the Dental Hygiene program, has attended the annual event hosted by Parish Nurse Ministry in Clarksburg, since 2022 and enjoys teaching others about oral cancer prevention.
“Though I couldn’t perform screenings then, it was a great opportunity to learn from those I worked with at our booth,” she said. “This event really sparked my interest in public health, as I got the chance to chat with people from my own community and educate them about oral cancer. It felt more personal to me because Clarksburg is near my hometown, and I have family and friends who live there.”
Ash has focused much of her time in the School of Dentistry on oral cancer awareness — through clinical practice, student organizations and her passion for helping others.
“We conduct oral cancer screenings on every single patient in the clinic. It is a simple screening, and it makes such a difference if oral cancer can be caught early,” she said. “I always teach my patients how to self-screen at home by checking the sides and underneath their tongue for suspicious lesions that don’t go away within a couple of weeks. Another sign of oropharyngeal cancer is persistent difficulty in swallowing or feeling like there is a lump in the throat that won’t go away. A quick look in the bathroom mirror can save your life.”
In addition to educating patients and community members, Ash recently attended Educational Advocacy Day at the West Virginia State Capitol with the West Virginia Dental Hygienists’ Association.
“I was able to advocate for the Oral Health and Cancer Rights Act and learn how to advocate for my profession on a legislative level,” she said. “It was empowering to share the bill with the senator from my own county. Hopefully soon, rehabilitative services can be covered for those who have undergone treatment for head and neck cancer. It is important to remain vigilant and fight for West Virginia’s oral health on the legislative level.”
As a member of the Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association, Ash has been able to participate in numerous community service projects that allow her to make a difference.
“We do everything from Project Linus to sending Christmas cards for nursing home residents,” she said. “The most important part of oral health education is sharing why it matters. If you don't share the risks of suboptimal oral health, people won’t see a reason to improve or change.”
Ash recently received the Mary Sanders Memorial Dental Hygiene Scholarship — an award sponsored by Dr. David Sanders, who is the son of Mary Sanders and an alumnus of the Doctor of Dental Surgery program.
While she’s proud of her academic achievements, Ash said the connections she’s made with classmates and professors are just as meaningful.
“We have all forged deep, lasting friendships that I can’t imagine my life without. I know I couldn’t have made it through without them,” she said. “And I can’t forget our amazing faculty. They fight for our success just as much as we do. Over the years, they have seen our best and our worst, but they never lose confidence in us.”
Upon graduation, Ash plans to work in a family dental office close to her hometown and become a member of the West Virginia Dental Hygienists’ Association.
Photo at Top: Abbie Ash and Dr. David Sanders at an annual event recognizing donors for their support of the WVU School of Dentistry, including student scholarships.
-WVU-
po/4/8/25
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