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Protecting Patients Beyond the Smile: HPV Vaccinations in the Dental Setting
December 2025
By: Kelsey Vincent, RN and Brianna Hillier, DMD
Imagine a dental visit that keeps your smile bright and also helps protect against cancer. This is possible thanks to one community health center’s groundbreaking initiative bringing HPV vaccination directly into the dental clinic. By offering vaccines alongside dental appointments, Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc (CCHCI) addresses oral health and tackles broader public health challenges within their communities.
CCHCI, a federally qualified health center nestled in southeast Arizona along the Mexico-New Mexico border, has a rural footprint of two-lane highways and endless horizons. To engage more patients throughout the health center – not just during medical appointments – CCHCI sought to create a ‘one stop shop’ approach led by Vaccine Program Manager, Kelsey Vincent, RN, and Director of Dental Services, Brianna Hillier, MD, that bridged gaps in care to the most vulnerable dental patients upon their arrival to the clinic.
Dental providers regularly see patients within the key age range (9-26 years) for HPV vaccination. As HPV is a leading cause of oropharyngeal cancers (cancers of the throat, tonsils, and base of the tongue), dentists and dental hygienists are particularly well-suited to raise awareness about the link between HPV and oral cancer. Adding the HPV vaccination conversation during the dental appointment increases patient awareness and compliance and has also resulted in an increase in parents’ receptivity to discussing preventive health measures, especially starting at nine years of age, the onset of patient eligibility for HPV vaccination.
CCHCI utilizes an immunization specialist Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) embedded in the dental clinic to scout the day’s dental schedules and screen patients for potential vaccination opportunities. Upon arrival to the dental appointment, eligible patients are asked if they’d like to receive the HPV vaccine while at the clinic. Patients that accept can be administered the vaccine at any point during the visit -- whether while patiently waiting for their appointment, sitting in the dental chair, or at the completion of the dental visit.
Kelsey Vincent, RN, Vaccine Program Manager, Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc.
Brianna Hillier, DMD, Director of Dental Services, Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc.
As part of our ongoing commitment to whole-person health, CCHCI has integrated targeted HPV vaccine education and outreach into dental operatories. Each operatory now features a prominently displayed poster highlighting the connection between HPV and oral cancers, emphasizing that many of these cancers are preventable through timely vaccination. The message encourages patients to speak with their dentist about receiving the HPV vaccine, ideally prompting those who may have declined at check-in to reconsider.
In addition, trifold brochures containing similar messaging are included in every patient's take home smile bag. These educational materials aim to shift the traditional narrative around HPV, from focusing primarily on females and cervical cancer to a broader, more inclusive approach that recognizes HPV as a significant oral health concern affecting everyone.
Since launching this initiative in May 2023 and through September 2025, we have administered 357 doses of the HPV vaccine. Notably, 49% of these were first doses, with 15% given to children as early as age 9. In total, we have delivered over 4,112 routine vaccine doses across all age groups during this period.
This integrated approach enhances patient education and reduces missed opportunities by meeting patients where they are within their regular dental visits. Through these efforts, we are breaking down barriers to care and expanding access to preventive health services in a setting that patients already trust.
About the Authors
Kelsey Vincent, RN, began her career in health care as a Medical Assistant at a Community Health Center in New Mexico, where she developed a deep commitment to community health and preventive medicine. Kelsey then pursued her RN license to expand her impact on patient care. As Vaccine Program Manager at Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Kelsey has led innovative initiatives to increase vaccine access, including integrating vaccine administration into dental facilities. Since 2022, she has overseen more than 4,000 vaccinations through dental integration. Her program earned the 2023 TAPI Big Shot Award, and she continues to lead efforts improving HPV vaccine uptake and access.
Brianna Hillier, DMD, is the Director of Dental Services for Chiricahua Community Health Centers, a mission driven federally qualified health center, ensuring all people in rural southeastern Arizona have access to dental care. She thrives when working alongside her medical and behavioral health colleagues. The collaborative effort of multiple specialties provides patients and their families with individualized health care strategies that can be fine-tuned and adapted to various challenges that patients face every day.