The two-year project is designed to help dental health providers normalize HPV vaccine discussions and reduce oropharyngeal cancer risk.
A $100,000 grant from the Prevent Cancer Foundation is supporting new research at UNT Health Fort Worth, where College of Public Health researcher Stacey Griner, Ph.D., is leading an initiative to strengthen the role of dental health providers in preventing HPV-related cancers. The funding was made possible through Awesome Games Done Quick, an annual live-streamed fundraising event that benefits cancer prevention research.
An estimated 12,600 cases of oropharyngeal cancer, the most common HPV-attributable cancer in the U.S., are diagnosed nationwide each year. Given its prevalence, dental settings are increasingly recognized as a promising venue for expanding prevention efforts through educational conversations about the HPV vaccine, which is proven to prevent several cancers.
Griner, a dental hygienist and associate professor in the College of Public Health, is principal investigator of the two-year study “Implementing HPV-Related Cancer Guidelines in Dental Settings,” which focuses on translating national guidelines into practical, real-world strategies for dental practices. “Dental providers are in a unique position to help prevent HPV-related cancers because they regularly examine the oral cavity and see patients multiple times a year,” Griner said. “Our goal is to make HPV prevention conversations as routine as talking about brushing, flossing or oral cancer screenings.”
Malinee Neelamegam, Ph.D., assistant professor in the College of Public Health, serves as co-investigator and brings expertise in mixed-methods research and implementation science.
National organizations such as the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend that oral health providers play a role in HPV prevention, yet only about 25% of dentists report discussing the HPV vaccination with patients, often citing a lack of knowledge or discomfort with the topic.
The project will establish a Practice Advisory Board of dental providers to help develop an interview guide and recruit interview participants. The team hopes to gain insight from oral health providers across the country about vaccine guidelines and factors influencing their implementation. The initiative also provides hands-on research and leadership experience for College of Public Health doctoral students Sophia Garza and Amber Deckard, who contributed to the development of the project. “This experience showed me how to manage a project on a large scale while working alongside researchers with a variety of skill sets,” Garza said.
Deckard emphasized the importance of integrating prevention into everyday care settings. “This study is one of many ways we want to intervene more upstream in settings people already trust,” Deckard said. “Our goal is to meet people where they are.”
College leadership said the project reflects the growing strength of the College of Public Health’s research enterprise. “It is exciting to see Dr. Griner establish a strong area of expertise in community-based implementation science and be recognized for it,” said Eun-young Mun, Ph.D., associate dean for research and innovation in the College of Public Health.
About UNT Health UNT Health Fort Worth is located in the heart of the Fort Worth Cultural District. UNT Health trains the health care providers, public health workforce and scientists of the future in an interprofessional ecosystem. Through its six colleges—Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Biomedical and Translational Sciences, College of Public Health, College of Health Professions, College of Pharmacy and College of Nursing—students learn to work in teams and develop an innovative mindset that prepares them for a rapidly changing health landscape. UNT Health Clinical Practice Group, the clinical enterprise of UNT Health, provides patient-centered care to people across Tarrant County. UNT Health’s research enterprise provides a foundation to expand the frontiers of scientific discovery to improve health and well-being.
