May 30, 2024
Shawnee State University Master of Occupational Therapy students Zayden Rinehart, Audrey Jenkins, Alexis Tompkins, and Cassidy Shumate received the graduate Poster Presentation Award during this year’s Celebration of Scholarship conference. Their project “Using a Sensory Adapted Dental Environment to Determine a Change in Dental Anxiety for Neurotypical Individuals”, explored ways to decrease dental anxiety.
“We conducted an experimental research study that looked to investigate the use of sensory adaptation to decrease dental anxiety,” said group member Zayden Rinehart. “The adaptations included lavender aromatherapy, a weighted vest, a visual projection, and music therapy during a subject's dental cleaning.”
Using their research to aid the skills they are gaining in their program, the group was excited to see how their results could translate to patient care.
“As Occupational Therapists, we want to service the need of our clients, and dental anxiety is quite common and something that we can address,” said Rinehart.
Conducting this research throughout their time in the graduate program, group members were grateful to see their work recognized by the conference committee.
“To receive this award is a real accomplishment,” said Rinehart. “Our research in its entirety has spanned over the last two years since we started the MOT program. For our research team to receive this award, it helps us appreciate the long hours and hard work that we put into all the appropriate steps.”
Presenting during the annual Poster Session of the conference, the group was able to interact with the campus community to discuss their research and answer additional questions.
“It is truly a growing experience to be able to explain research,” said Rinehart. “Celebration of Scholarship is a great opportunity to be able to push the research in students’ prospective fields. The future opportunities that can arise from the conference are immense too – our team is considering presenting our research at the Ohio Occupational Therapy Association conference later this year."
To learn more about the annual Celebration of Scholarship conference at Shawnee State University, visit shawnee.edu/cos.