Testing the Implementation of an Evidence-Based HPV Communication Skills Training for Medical and Dental Professionals Through a State Title V Partnership

Everly Macario, Kristin Davis, Jenny Steffes, Sarah Davis, Tommy Johnson, Nancy Wright, Caitlin Reaves, Melodie Jones, Casey Daniel, Sharon Humiston, Peter Szilagyi, Alexander Fiks

Presented at the 2026 Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting

Background: While HPV causes ~70% of oropharyngeal cancers, HPV vaccination rates remain below US targets. The STOP-HPV trial, funded by NIH and conducted by the AAP Pediatric Research in Office Settings (PROS) network, increased HPV vaccinations. The current intervention included the existing STOP-HPV trial’s 3 online educational modules on clinician communication with parents. Dissemination was tested through the Alabama Title V program, adding a 4th module to integrate medical and dental information, especially targeted for dental professionals.

Objective: To measure where dental-medical integration ranked among reasons health professionals took the 4-module HPV communication skills training and expected plans to make changes based on what they learned in the training.

Methods: The PROS network and Alabama Title V partners (oral health, practicing dentist, pediatric leaders) co-developed a 4th dental-focused module encouraging HPV vaccination referrals. Participants took a 21-item survey including questions on reasons for taking the training (closed-ended) and intended practice changes based (open-ended).

Results: Alabama Title V partners promoted the 4-module training to health and dental professionals across the state through multiple venues (Figure 1). In 2025, 230 participants completed Module 1, 211 Module 2, 219 Module 3, and 188 Module 4. Among completers of all modules: 10% were dental hygienists, 9% dentists, 1% dental assistants, 34% registered nurses, 11% nurse practitioners, 11% licensed practical nurses, 6% physicians, 3% social workers, 2% community health workers, 2% medical assistants, and 11% other. Medical professionals ranked the training’s medical-dental integration 7th among 9 reasons for taking the training; dental professionals ranked the training’s medical-dental integration 4th among 9 reasons for taking the training (Figure 2). Post-training, 79% of all participants reported they plan to make changes based on what they learned. Of these, 61% were medical, 24% dental, and 15% other professionals. They said they would recommend HPV vaccination alongside other vaccines (instead of singling it out) and emphasize HPV vaccine as oral cancer prevention.

Conclusion: Alabama Title V partners effectively disseminated HPV communication skills training to a broad range of professionals. Adding a dental module expanded the scope of those who might reach families to encourage HPV vaccination and supported medical-dental integration. Partnerships with Title V show promise for scalable dissemination of evidence-based health-promoting communication strategies.

Figure 1. Alabama Title V Program Partners that Promoted the 4-Module HPV Communication Skills Training 

Figure 2. Reasons Alabama Health Professionals Took the HPV Communication Skills Training