Dental Hygiene, Students

Warren Selected to Compete at the ADHA/Dentsply Sirona Graduate Student Clinicians Dental Hygiene Research Program 

Debin Warren, RDH, BS, was selected to compete in the graduate student research awards at the 96th Annual American Dental Hygienists’ Association’s Annual Conference in Lexington, Kentucky. The ADHA/Dentsply Sirona Graduate Student Clinicians Dental Hygiene Research Program, sponsored by Dentsply Sirona, recognizes graduate-level dental hygiene students for original research in their field of study.  

“I am delighted to have been selected for this award,” said WarrenMaster of Science in dental hygiene education Candidate 2019. “This would not be possible without the amazing support of my committee members, professors, and mentors. It is an honor to continue the representation of such an excellent program and the UNC School of Dentistry.” 

Warren’s presentation, “Interprofessional collaboration among dental hygiene and nursing students on oral health for cancer patients,” utilizes a mixed-methods design to evaluate a new interprofessional collaboration between the UNC-CH Adams School of Dentistry and the UNC-CH School of Nursing. 

Her thesis committee chair is the director of the master’s program, Jennifer Brame, RDH, MS. Other committee members include UNC-CH Adams School of Dentistry faculty member Katharine Ciarrocca, DMD, MSEd, and JoAn Stanek, RN, MSN, from the UNC-CH School of Nursing.  

The Dentsply Sirona/ADHA Graduate Student Clinician’s Research Program provides fundamental support in promotion of dental hygiene research,” said Brame. “It is an honor to have Debin’s project represent the UNC School of Dentistry in this national competition. Her unique interprofessional project represents our vision for integrated care and scholarship, and supports our values to promote health and create collaborative learning opportunities. 

Warren follows the success of previous Adams School of Dentistry dental hygiene graduate students, Yuri Oh and Brandie Carter, who received the award in 2018 and 2017, respectively. The ADHA/Dentsply Sirona Graduate Student Clinicians Dental Hygiene Research Program participants are chosen by their program director and receive professional recognition and complimentary registration to the ADHA’s annual conference, air travel, lodging and pier diem for the conference. During the AADR meeting, the winning student will present their research on a non-competitive basis along with the international winners.  

Warren received her Bachelor of Science degree in dental hygiene from East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee. Upon graduation she returned to Boone, North Carolina and worked as a hygienist for three years in her father and sisters’ dental practice, both of whom graduated from the UNC-CH Adams School of Dentistry.