WCU Dental Hygiene Students Win Second Place at State Competition

Left to right: Connie Suh, Robyn Wirth, Professor Aubree Chismark, Professor April Turner, Ashly dela Resma, Natalie Swall

West Coast University student research teams took second prize at the California Dental Hygienists’ Association (CDHA) competition in May.

“West Coast University continues to lead in the state in the area of original student research,” WCU Dental Hygiene Dean Michelle Hurlbutt said. “I’m proud of all our teams.”

The four students — Connie Suh, Robyn Wirth, Ashly dela Resma and Natalie Swall — were recognized with certificates and a $250 award. Their abstract, “The Efficacy of Activated Charcoal versus Over-the-Counter Dentifrices,” will also be featured in a future issue of the CDHA state journal.

WCU submitted two teams for annual student table clinic and research poster competition, Hurlbutt said. The other team conducted original clinical research entitled “HbA1c Levels in Non-Diabetic Patients Pre-and-Post Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy.” Both teams will compete in June at the national student research competition held in conjunction with the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) annual session in Pittsburg, Penn.

“Please join me in congratulating our students, their research mentor Professor April Turner, and our research course director Professor Aubree Chismark,” Hurlbutt said. “Now onward to ADHA and the national competition!”

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