Gina Sharps, RDH, BS

West Virginia University
School of Dentistry
WVU Health Sciences Center
Morgantown, WV
USA 26506
Email: gsharps@hsc.wvu.edu

Biographical Sketch:
Dec 2006- Present Assistant Director, Childhood Oral Health Project West Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Office of Rural Health Responsible for the management of a three year planning grant to increase the role of the WVU Health Sciences Center in childhood oral health issues through the strengthening of dental curriculum, expansion of the CARDIAC program platform and use of the rural health network to integrate medicine and dentistry in rural primary care settings, and by informing policy makers on the state or oral health services for rural West Virginia children. 2004-present West Virginia Public Health Association Dental Section Member and Legislative Sub-committee member 2007-present American Association of Public Health Dentistry, Member 2008-present American Dental Hygiene Association, Member 2008-present West Virginia Dental Hygiene Association, Member 2008-present West Virginia Dental Association, Affiliate Member 2009-present West Virginia Public Health Association Dental Section President 2009 West Virginia State Oral Health Advisory Board Sharps, G. (2009, February) "Community Dental Health: the “What? Why? & How?" CE provided to West Virginia Dental Hygiene Association Annual Session, Charleston, WV. Sharps, G. (2008, November) Oral Care for the Dependent Patient. In-Service Presentation to The Heritage Long Term Care Facility. Bridgeport, WV. 2009 Executive Producer of Oral Health, Continuing Need DVD 2009 Invited member of the West Virginia state Oral Health Advisory Board 2007 Invited Professional Witness to the July West Virginia Legislative Interims Sub- Committee Hearings on Oral Health June 2002-June 2006 Oral Health Educator West Virginia Oral Health Program Responsible for the management of the oral health program in a five county area.Duties included providing dental assessments to all age populations. Creatively originating and designing educational programs utilizing a wide range of medical and dental resources to optimize learning for non-dental personnel. Devised and executed media campaigns to create local awareness of the escalating need of dental treatment and education. Additionally, formed collaborations with the public/private school system and local/state organizations to incorporate a dental health educational component into each institution’s learning curriculum.