Cynthia Lou Stull RDH, MDH, DHSc

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 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 preventing hospital-acquired pneumonia.

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.