Health Literacy Essay Winners Announced

Casandra Barnes, a dental student at the University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston, has been named the winner of the American Dental Association’s (ADA) 2020 Health Literacy Dental School Essay contest. She was recognized for her piece about the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Barnes will receive $1,000 and her essay, “Why Your Dentist Wants You to Get the HPV Vaccine,” has been published on ADA’s consumer website, MouthHealthy.org.

The first runner-up is Evan Fry, a dental student at University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry, for his essay, “More Than Teeth: Why Your Dentist Wants You to Get the HPV Vaccine.” The second runner-up is Kapiolani Wisler, a dental student at Indiana University School of Dentistry, for the essay, “Long-Lasting Protection: HPV Vaccine.” Both Fry and Wisler will receive $500. 

Learn more about the essay contest here.