CPH leads $100,000 HPV cancer prevention effort in oral health care
The most common type of human papillomavirus-attributable cancer is oropharyngeal cancer, with 12,600 cases diagnosed annually. Given its prevalence, dental settings are increasingly recognized as a promising venue for expanding prevention efforts through educational conversations about the HPV vaccine. With a $100,000 Awesome Games Done Quick award from the Prevent Cancer Foundation during National Cancer Prevention Month, Dr. Stacey Griner of the UNT Health College of Public Health is advancing the field by equipping oral health providers with the tools and confidence to lead HPV prevention efforts and normalize vaccine discussions as a routine part of patient care.
Serving as the principal investigator of the study, Griner, a dental hygienist herself, was inspired to introduce new strategies for oropharyngeal cancer prevention and the HPV vaccine, making the process as seamless as possible for dental professionals. Her proposal titled "Implementing HPV-Related Cancer Guidelines in Dental Settings" introduces a new framework and previews this process over the next two years. Incorporating mixed methods and data collection to translate knowledge to practice, Dr. Malinee Neelamegam, CPH assistant professor, will contribute her expertise as co-investigator.
The American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Council on Clinical Affairs both released guidelines pertaining to the role that oral health providers have in HPV prevention. In 2020, the HPV vaccine was indicated for certain cancers as approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. With confirmation of the vaccine’s prevention of oral cancer, the journey towards prevention could commence. Unfortunately, the guidelines were not enough to change practice behavior as only 25% of dentists reported they or someone on their team discussed the HPV vaccination with their patients. The primary barrier to having this discussion with their patients was due to a lack of knowledge on how best to address the vaccination.
The American Dental Association has emphasized the importance of educating patients about the HPV vaccine’s safety and effectiveness as the virus can potentially cause six types of cancer, including oropharyngeal cancer. Through this study, Griner and her team will establish a Practice Advisory Board comprised of dental providers across practice settings. This board will assist the research team in developing an interview guide and recruiting participants for qualitative interviews, through which the team hopes to gain insight from oral health providers across the country about HPV-vaccine guidelines and factors influencing their implementation into practice.
This project was developed with the assistance of PhD students Sophia Garza and Amber Deckard of the College of Public Health. Both students who specialize in women’s health and community engagement will gain experience in grant development. When asked about the experience, the students were excited to be involved with the research process from the beginning 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.
“This study is a great example of ways we want to intervene more upstream, before participants get to the hospital setting, an environment that may already feel intimidating,” said Deckard, a first-year PhD student with an interest in community-based research. “With dental care typically requiring two visits a year, it’ll be interesting to see how we can work with oral health providers to reshape these visits to incorporate public health. Our goal is to meet people where they are.”
Griner’s news has since caught the attention of her fellow CPH colleagues.
“It is exciting to see Dr. Griner has established a strong area of expertise in community-based implementation science and is recognized for it,” says Dr. Eun-young Mun, associate dean for research and innovation in the College of Public Health.
While the project‘s development has been demanding, both public health students are eager to see it through.
“[This project] is a great example of how widespread and multidisciplinary public health can be,” Garza said. “It’s easy to become siloed in your respective research communities, but it is important to involve yourself with projects you would not typically consider. They can challenge you in new ways.”
“UNT Health does a phenomenal job at prioritizing interdisciplinary education, and I believe it is evident through our cross-collaboration,” Deckard said.