Penn College News

Student poster presentations earn honors at state conference

Friday, November 15, 2019

Two informative posters presented by Pennsylvania College of Technology dental hygiene students placed in the top 10 during the Pennsylvania Dental Hygienists’ Association’s annual conference.

A poster titled “Locked in on Dental Implants,” presented by Pavel Dariychuk, of Leola, and Tyler J. Wetzel-Haynes, of Ono, placed fourth among 58 entries from across the state.

Jordyn Kahler’s poster, “Knowledge is Power: Oral Health Literacy,” placed sixth. Kahler is from York.



Pennsylvania College of Technology dental hygiene students Tyler J. Wetzel-Haynes (left), of Ono, and Pavel Dariychuk, of Leola, present their fourth place-winning poster, “Locked in on Dental Implants” at the Keystone Dental Health Conference in Kind of Prussia.Students from Pennsylvania dental hygiene schools were invited to present updated information on new and relevant topics for the benefit of those attending the conference. The posters were judged by a panel of attendees.

“We are extremely proud of our students’ engagement at the state conference,” said Sandra L. Richmond, dean of nursing and health sciences. “Applying their hands-on learning to promote awareness of these important and emerging topics in dental hygiene demonstrates their commitment to their future role as a dental hygienist and improving patient outcomes.”

In teams or as individuals, 12 Penn College students presented six posters. Other Penn College presenters and their topics were:

  • Emily K. Conklin, of Port Allegany, and Alaina M. Murren, of Aspers, presenting “Alzheimer's Disease and the Periodontal Patient: Connecting the Dots”

  • Tayla E. Derr, of Selinsgrove; Angela D. Mann, of Montoursville; and Hannah M. Keller, of Reinholds, presenting “Laser Focus: Diode Laser Treatment for the Periodontium”

  • Anna Plokhova, of Boalsburg, and Sarah U. Brumbaugh, of Altoona, presenting “Caring for Patients With Oral Cancer”

  • Emma K. Pingel, of Beach Lake, and Justina Y. Zaborskiy, of Quarryville, presenting “Subgingival Air Polishing and Implant Maintenance”


Penn College dental hygiene student Jordyn Kahler, of York, with her sixth-place informational poster, titled “Knowledge is Power: Oral Health Literacy.” Kahler presented the topic at the conference“All of the students did an amazing job and were an excellent representation of the college at the state level,” said Shawn A. Kiser, the college’s director of dental hygiene.

The students were supervised by Bridget E. Motel, instructor of dental hygiene, and Lisa E. DeVito, part-time instructor of dental hygiene, who serve as advisers for the Penn College chapter of the Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

The four-day Keystone Dental Health Conference, which is the annual session of the Pennsylvania Dental Hygienists’ Association, was held Nov. 7-10 in King of Prussia.

Penn College offers an associate degree in dental hygiene and is one of two higher education institutions in Pennsylvania that offer a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene. Registered dental hygienists, who already hold an associate degree, can complete their bachelor’s degree coursework online. For more information about these and other degrees offered by the college’s School of Nursing & Health Sciences, call 570-327-4519.

For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, email the Admissions Office or call 800-367-9222.