West Virginia health advocates have proposed legislation that would allow dentists and dental hygienists to administer the HPV vaccine, West Virginia Watch reported Oct. 16.
Four notes:
1. The West Virginia Oral Health Coalition has drafted a bill modeled after laws already enacted in seven states — Kentucky, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey and Oregon.
2. The legislation does not yet have any lawmakers to sponsor it, but the West Virginia Board of Dentistry has issued a position statement supporting the proposal.
3. The push follows a pilot project in which a dental hygienist in rural Pocahontas County educated patients about the HPV vaccine during routine dental visits. Of 34 eligible unvaccinated patients educated over six months, 10 agreed to be vaccinated — but none followed through on getting the vaccine. Advocates say the barrier confirms that in-office administration is necessary to close the gap.
4. Only 57% of 13- to 16-year-olds in the state were up to date on HPV vaccination in 2025, compared to 63% nationally. The state also has some of the highest rates of HPV-associated cancers in the country.
