Kornegay Named Recipient of ADEA/Crest Oral-B Scholarship for Hygiene Students
Elizabeth Kornegay, second-year Master of Science in Dental Hygiene Education student, has been named as one of two national recipients of the ADEA/Crest Oral-B Scholarship for Dental Hygiene Students Pursuing Academic Careers.
“I am honored and humbled to receive this prestigious award,” said Kornegay. “I am grateful for the opportunity to further my career and continue on the path of academia.”
Prior to enrolling in the master’s program at UNC, Kornegay graduated from UNC with a Bachelor of Science in dental hygiene in 2014. She works as a dental hygienist in the school’s General and Oral Health Center (GO Health Center) and with a temp agency, practicing in private dental practices around the Raleigh area. She has a strong commitment to becoming an allied dental faculty member and aspires to continue her growth in academia by obtaining her doctorate in education. Kornegay will graduate with her master’s degree in May 2016.
Beth is conducting her thesis research in the area of Dental Sleep Medicine. Under the direction of Dr. Greg Essick of the Department of Prosthodontics; and thesis committee members Dr. Anne Sanders and Professor Jennie Brame, both of the Department of Dental Ecology; Dr. Heidi Roth from the School of Medicine; and Dr. Antonio Moretti of the Department of Periodontology; her project is studying a possible association between periodontal disease and obstructive sleep apnea, as well as possible underlying mechanisms.
“Beth is pursuing an area of research that is timely and relatively new to dentistry,” said Professor Rebecca Wilder, director of the Master of Science in Dental Hygiene Education Program. “Her research will help us determine if an association exists between periodontal diseases which are pervasive in our society, with sleep disordered breathing. The results will help us educate dental professionals regarding the best treatments for patients with these conditions.”
The ADEA/Crest Oral-B Scholarship for Dental Hygiene Students Pursuing Academic Careers supports dental hygiene students who want to work in academia and are actively enrolled in an education program beyond an associate’s degree. Two students are selected each year to receive $2,500 toward their tuition and fees, and $500 to subsidize travel to the ADEA Annual Session.
Kornegay will be attending the 2016 ADEA Annual Session and Exhibition in Denver, Colo. this March to accept her award.
