WVU School of Dentistry researcher following her purpose to restore smiles

The mission of West Virginia University is rooted in service to the state and exemplified in the WVU School of Dentistry through excellence in education, clinical experiences and research to reduce oral health disparities. That commitment to improving others’ well-being resonated with Dr. Bayan Abuhalimeh when she was selecting where to continue her dental education.

“I chose West Virginia University for its strong emphasis on integrating research, education and community service in healthcare,” she said. “WVU’s focus on serving rural and underserved populations aligned deeply with my values, especially as I aim to contribute to improving healthcare access and addressing health disparities.”

Abuhalimeh was born in Jordan and raised in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. She realized her passion for dentistry at a young age following an incident that caused two of her upper incisors to break. To pursue her passion, she returned to Jordan and completed the Doctor of Dental Surgery program at the University of Jordan School of Dentistry.

“Losing my smile for a significant period deeply impacted me, and experiencing the transformative power of having my smile restored inspired me to pursue a career dedicated to helping others regain their confidence and make a tangible difference in people's lives.”

To further enhance her education and explore her interest in research, Abuhalimeh enrolled in the WVU School of Dentistry M.S. in Prosthodontics advanced training program. The three-year program includes didactic and clinical courses, in-depth research and patient care at WVU Dental, the clinical practice component of the WVU School of Dentistry, to prepare trainees for work in the branch of dentistry focusing on prosthetics. The program qualifies graduates for examination and certification by the American Board of Prosthodontics.

Now a second-year student in the program, Abuhalimeh’s research interests have been wide-reaching. With guidance from her program director and mentor, Dr. Shelby Alexander, an assistant professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry, she has begun her thesis research while simultaneously conducting additional research under mentor Dr. R. Constance Wiener, professor and chair of the Department of Dental Public Health and Professional Practice. She has presented her work at multiple regional and national conferences.

Selected for presentation at the Hinman Student Research Symposium hosted by the University of Tennessee, Abuhalimeh’s research on noma, also known as cancrum oris, focused on raising awareness about the severe, often fatal orofacial gangrenous disease. Her narrative review highlighted the urgent need for increased research and education, particularly for healthcare providers and traditional healers, to improve timely interventions and prevention strategies. It also emphasized the importance of addressing malnutrition, oral hygiene and regional healthcare disparities.

Abuhalimeh presented her cross-sectional study analyzing the prevalence of alcohol screening at the Symposium on Substance Use Research hosted by the University of Nebraska. Her research revealed that older adults in West Virginia are significantly less likely to be screened for alcohol use during routine medical exams compared to young adults, underscoring the need for adherence to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recommendations to screen all adults for alcohol and other substance use at least annually. She stated that the screening process is particularly critical for older adults given their heightened vulnerability to health issues. In addition to Wiener, the research team included WVU School of Dentistry Research Labs Director Christopher Waters and WVU School of Public Health Associate Professor Ruchi Bhandari, PhD.

At the West Virginia Rural Health Association Conference, Abuhalimeh presented a study analyzing cancer incidence in West Virginia compared to national patterns. For the study, she utilized United States cancer statistics from 1999-2021 obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging ONline Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) database. The findings showed a higher incidence of oral cancers, particularly among males, with specific sites such as the tongue, floor of the mouth, gingiva and tonsils being more prevalent. The findings call for targeted public health initiatives in early detection, prevention and addressing regional risk factors like tobacco use, alcohol consumption and healthcare access in the state of West Virginia.

As she continues her work, Abuhalimeh plans to pursue publication in peer-reviewed journals to reach a broader scientific and clinical community for the benefit of patients across the state and beyond.

Abuhalimeh is also looking toward the future. Following the competition of her training at WVU, she plans to pursue a dual career in clinical practice and research.

“My clinical work will allow me to directly impact patients’ oral health and well-being, while my research will focus on advancing knowledge and developing interventions to address public health challenges.”

Research reported in this publication was supported, in part, by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number 5U54GM104942-08. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

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jw/4/10/25

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