Cynthia Stull, DHSc, MDH, RDH

Cynthia Stull, DHSc, MDH, is Assistant Professor and Director of the Division of Dental Hygiene, directing three distinct programs, including the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene, and Master of Science in Dental Hygiene. To address faculty shortages, she established the innovative Oral Health Educator Certificate program, equipping dental providers with essential teaching skills. Dr. Stull holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Dental Hygiene from the University of Minnesota and a Doctor of Health Sciences from A.T. Still University. Her significant contributions to dental hygiene education have established her as a recognized leader in the field.

Dr. Stull pioneered two distinct programs utilizing collaborative practice dental hygienists: a hospital dental hygiene consult service and an outpatient clinic dedicated to serving adopted and foster care children. Through these initiatives, she has integrated dental hygienists into healthcare teams to better address the needs of vulnerable populations. Her expertise in this area earned her an invitation to collaborate with a national interprofessional team to establish an oral care protocol for hospital acquired pneumonia prevention.

Dr. Stull has developed forward-thinking curricula emphasizing interprofessional collaboration and the integration of dental hygiene and medicine, preparing students for leadership and expanded roles beyond clinical practice. Her teaching spans interprofessional education, leadership, the discipline of dental hygiene, and teaching methodology. 

Her research focuses on integrating dental hygienists into healthcare teams and expanding their roles in HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer prevention, utilizing motivational interviewing, virtual reality, simulation training, and advanced imaging technologies.

Dr. Stull is an active member of the American Dental Education Association, American Dental Hygienists’ Association, American Interprofessional Health Collaborative, and the Minnesota Oral Health Coalition.
 

Stull CL, Rogers K, Flavin K, Thelen R, Evans MD, Arnett MC. Utilization of the HPV brief-motivational interviewing sills-based training among University of Minnesota dental hygiene alumni. J Dent Hyg. 2025 June; 99(3):24-37.

Flynn P, Stull CL, Jain V, Evans M. A national cross-sectional study of dentists’ vaccine hesitancy and intention to provide HPV vaccines following emergency COVID-19 vaccination authorization. Vaccine. 2025 April;53:1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127035

Zoschke IN, Bennis SL, Tang Y, Wilkerson JM, Stull CL, Nyitray AG, Khariwala SS, Nichols CM, Rosser BRS, Flash CA, Ross MW. The influence of tobacco use, hazardous drinking, and other risk factors on HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer risk and screening perceptions among gay and bisexual men: a cross-sectional study. BMC Oral Health. 2025 Mar 30;25(1):462. doi: 10.1186/s12903-025-05774-0.

Stull CL, Lei F, North S. First-year health professions students’ interprofessional identity development following participation in a brief introductory interprofessional activity: A qualitative study. Journal of Interprofessional Care. 2024; 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2024.2391353

Van Hooser JC, Hoeft MK, Stull CL. Training students in interprofessional collaboration through a student-led activity. J Dent Educ. 2024 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1002/jdd.13582\

Bennis, S. L., Rohloff, C. T., Zhang, Z., Kohli, N., Zoschke, I. N., Rosser, B. R. S., Nyitray, A. G., Wilkerson, J. M., Stull, C. L., Khariwala, S. S., & Ross, M. W. Sexual behavior and perceived risk for oropharyngeal cancer among men who have sex with men: A psychometric scale validation. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2024; 51(4):289–294. https://doi.org/10.1097/olq.0000000000001923 

Ross MW, Khariwala SS, Bennis SL, Zoschke IN, Rosser BS, Nyitray AG, Nichols CM, Flash C, Wilkerson M, Stull CL. Using low-cost videoscopes to obtain accurate video “Oral Selfies” as screening for HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer: A new screening technology? Cancer Screen Prev. 2024;3(2):125-129. doi: 10.14218/CSP.2024.00005.

Stull C, Bennis SL, Rosser BR, Wilkerson JM, Zoschke IN, Jiang Z, et al. Correlates of human papillomavirus vaccination intent for oropharyngeal cancer prevention among gay and bisexual men living in the United States. The Journal of the American Dental Association. 2024 Jan;155(1). doi:10.1016/j.adaj.2023.09.016 

Ross MW, Bennis SL, Zoschke N, Rosser BR, Stull CL, Nyitray AG, et al. Screening for HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer in gay and bisexual men: Acceptability and predicting possible use of “oral selfies” by smartphone as a secondary prevention approach. Venereology. 2023 Dec 7;2(4):180–93. doi:10.3390/venereology2040016 

Ross MW, Bennis SL, Nichols CM, Zoschke IN, Wilkerson JM, Rosser BRS, Stull C, Nyitray AG, Flash C and Khariwala SS (2023) Oral/oropharyngeal “selfies” in gay and bisexual men: a pilot study exploring oropharyngeal screening for HPV-related possible malignancies. Front. Public Health 11:1233274. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1233274

Zoschke IN, Bennis SL, Wilkerson JM, Stull CL, Nyitray AG, Khariwala SS, et al. HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer early detection in gay and bisexual men is an “orphan” practice: A qualitative analysis among healthcare providers. Front Public Health. 2023 Apr 20;11:1165107.

Arnett MC, Evans MD, Stull C. Brief motivational interviewing: Evaluation of skills-based education program. J Dent Hyg 2022 August; 96(4):46-56.

Arnett MC, Stull CL. Oral Cancer Prevention. Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. 2022 July 11; 20(7):32-35.

Arnett MC, Evans MD, Stull C. Dental hygiene students’ perceptions regarding the importance of and confidence with using brief motivational interviewing during HPV patient counseling. J Dent Hyg 2022 April; 96(2):50-58.

Stull C, Matthews E, Evans MD, Arnett MC. Examining the Role of HPV Communication Training in Dental Hygiene Students’ Knowledge, Attitudes, Confidence, and Comfort. J Dent Hyg 2021 October; 95(5):47-55.

Trauger KA, Stull CL, Arnett MC, Blue CM, Flynn PM. Human papillomavirus content inclusion in dental hygiene program curricula in the United States. J Dent Hyg. 2021;95 (2):42-49.

Stull C, Freese R, Sarvas E. Parent perceptions of dental care providers’ role in human papillomavirus prevention and vaccine advocacy. J Am Dent Assoc [Internet]. 2020;151(8):560–7. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2020.05.004

Arnett MC, Reibel YG, Evans MD, Stull CL. Preliminary evaluation of dental hygiene curriculum: Assessment and management of peri-implant conditions and diseases. J Dent Educ. 2020;84(6):642–51. 

Stull CL, Sarvas E. Educating patients about human papillomavirus and the HPV vaccine. Decis Dent [Internet]. 2020;May:36–9. Retrieved from: https://decisionsindentistry.com/digital-edition/2020/may.html

Stull CL, Sarvas E. Preventing HPV-related infections. Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. 2019 December;17(11):30-3. 

Stull CL, Lunos S. Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding human papilloma virus communication and vaccine advocacy among Minnesota dentists and dental hygienists. The Journal of Dental Hygiene. 2019 February;93(1):33- 42. 

Stull CL, Blue CM. Examining the influence of professional identity formation on the attitudes of students towards interprofessional collaboration. J Interprof Care. 2016 January;30(1):90–6.