Faculty members at West Virginia University Health Sciences recently collaborated on an article exploring the connection between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and sugar-sweetened beverages. The article was published in the February 2026 issue of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association Journal of Dental Hygiene.
Titled “Consideration of Chronic Pulmonary Disease and Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages in the Dental Hygiene Care Plan,” the article was co-authored by WVU School of Dentistry faculty members R. Constance Wiener, DMD, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Dental Public Health and Professional Practice, and Elizabeth Southern Puette, MSDH, assistant professor in the Department of Dental Hygiene, and WVU School of Public Health faculty member Ruchi Bhandari, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
The team’s interprofessional approach to the research provided greater insight into the link between the disease and caloric intake related to sugar-sweetened beverages. Their findings showed a significant association, which can help inform decision making for dental hygienists when counseling their patients on a nutrition plan.
The Journal of Dental Hygiene is a peer-reviewed scientific research publication for dental hygienists.
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jw/2/5/26
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