WVU provides free oral cancer screenings at community health fair

Members of the West Virginia University School of Dentistry recently participated in a local community health fair, helping fulfill the school’s mission to improve the oral health of West Virginians.

The annual Parish Nurse Ministry Heath Fair, hosted by Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Clarksburg and organized by Theresa White, RN, includes free health screenings, vaccination opportunities, exercise demonstrations, educational information and more.

Partnering with WVU Cancer Institute, Mountains of Hope and the 100 Million Mouths Campaign and Delta Dental Community Care Foundation, WVU School of Dentistry dental surgery and dental hygiene students and expert faculty provided free oral cancer screenings and oral cancer awareness education for 18 individuals.

“Our goal for campaigning was to raise the public awareness of the signs and symptoms of oral cancer and its risk factors,” Dr. Lakshmi Garladinne, associate professor and oral and maxillofacial radiologist, said. “The screening clinic provided an avenue to reach out to a part of the community who had not had the chance to see a dentist, and we were able to teach the importance of early diagnosis.”

Each screening and education session included an oral exam, one-on-one counseling and resources about tobacco cessation, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for oropharyngeal cancer prevention, oral cancer prevention, early detection and the importance of screening, a self-screening kit, and WVU Dental resources and necessary referrals. Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialists from the school were available to provide additional information about evidence-based tobacco cessation strategies and individualized counseling.

“The screening event is a wonderful opportunity to have conversations with local community members about quitting tobacco,” Abigail Ash, a senior in the B.S. in Dental Hygiene program, said. “I feel our certified tobacco treatment specialist curriculum prepares us really well to speak to our patients in a positive way.”

All dental and dental hygiene students participate in the Certified Tobacco Treatment Training Program at WVU led by Suann Gaydos.

WVU students volunteering at this year’s event included site managers Ash, Grace Dempsey, Lilly Namsupak, Gillian Pierrard and Cierra Satterfield, and Maha Alshamma, Josephine Burns, Jason Collette, Sidney Fix, Jaliya Hubbard and Julie Watts. Dr. Elizabeth Kao, a professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry, and Dr. Garladinne served as supervising faculty members along with Elizabeth Southern Puette, an assistant professor in the Department of Dental Hygiene who has served as the coordinator for School of Dentistry volunteers for three years.

“My favorite part of dental hygiene has always been working with patients to discuss the importance of oral hygiene care,” Namsupak, a junior in the B.S. in Dental Hygiene program, said. “I believe that as healthcare professionals one of our responsibilities is to take care of everyone to the best of our abilities. Getting involved in healthcare means getting to work with the community and other healthcare professionals to improve people’s overall health and well-being.”

Oral cancer includes cancers of the mouth and the back of the throat and can develop on the tongue, the tissue lining the mouth and gums, under the tongue, at the base of the tongue and the area of the throat at the back of the mouth.

To help detect oral cancer early, individuals should maintain routine visits with their dentist and share their medical history, including any sexually transmitted diseases, and request an oral cancer exam. Individuals should also perform a monthly oral cancer self-examination and follow up with a dentist, if necessary.

Evidence-based prevention strategies to help reduce the likelihood of developing oral cancer include avoiding or limiting alcohol consumption, refraining from tobacco use and getting vaccinated against HPV, which can prevent 90% of cancers caused by HPV, including oral cancers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The American Dental Association recommends that most adults and children get a routine dental cleaning and exam every six months. Regular dental visits help identify potential risks and problems, such as oral cancer, and prevent them from worsening.

WVU Dental providers, including faculty, resident and student dentists, offer comprehensive general dentistry and specialized treatment at two locations in Morgantown, on the WVU Health Sciences Campus and at Suncrest Town Centre. WVU Dental is the clinical practice component of WVU School of Dentistry.

Photo at top: (standing, l-r) Elizabeth Southern Puette, assistant professor; Abbie Ash, dental hygiene student; Grace Dempsey, dental hygiene student; Maha Alshamma, dental surgery student; Jaliyah Hubbard, dental surgery student; Dr. Elizabeth Kao, professor; Josephine Burns, dental surgery student; Dr. Lakshmi Garladinne, associate professor; Jason Collett, dental surgery student; (sitting, l-r) Julianna Watts, dental hygiene student; Lilly Namsupak, dental hygiene student; Sidney Fix, dental hygiene student

-WVU-

jw/11/21/24

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WVU School of Dentistry | WVU Dental