The charge of the Wellness and Well-being Committee at the West Virginia University School of Dentistry is to promote and support the wellness of the entire dental school community (dental and dental hygiene students, residents,faculty, and staff) and cultivate an organizational culture of health and well-being. The committee has allowed the school to embrace challenges in 2020 and 2021 and find unique methods to make all community members feel appreciated, supported and connected.

The committee focuses on emotional, community, social and physical well-being. Below are highlights from recent events. Please click to see the Wellness Committee Annual Report. 

Interested donors who would like to sponsor a wellness committee activity or help fund resources can make a gift online. For more information or assistance with making a donation, please contact Karen Coombs, Director of Development for the School of Dentistry at 304-216-3784 or via email at kcoombs@wvuf.org .

November 2020

Emotional Well-being

Dental and dental hygiene students were given handwritten notes of encouragement prior to final exams

Community Well-being

COVID Navigator paperweights were designed for COVID Taskforce members as a form of appreciation

Social Well-being

Faculty Appreciation Day (November 16th): faculty had access to baskets with Thanksgiving-themed snacks and were provided with pumpkins

December 2020

Social Well-being

Resident Appreciation Day (December 10th): residents were given coffee, tea, bagels, donuts and snacks

January 2021

Community Well-being

Coats & Cans Challenge: collected 465 non-perishable items which were donated to "The Rack" Student Food Pantry & 39 coats which were donated to the Bartlett House Homeless Shelter

Emotional Well-being

• Introduction of Layne Hitchcock, BeWell's Behavioral Coordinator, to dental and dental hygiene students (services include short term individual counseling, group therapy, psychiatric services, etc.)
• Workshop held for DDS/DH advisors and DDS team leaders with Layne, which highlighted resources and methods to counsel students

February 2021

Emotional Well-being

Shared a music playlist, Love Yourself!, to promote self love

March 2021

Emotional Well-being

Senior dental hygiene students were given handwritten notes of encouragement prior to clinical board
exams

April 2021

Physical Well-being

Dr. Godwin & Leslee Tyler hosted "Motivation to Move" on Tuesdays: an
opportunity for community members to either go on a walk or participate in a High Intensity Interval Training session for 50 minutes

May 2021

Community Well-being

Encouraged participation in WVU Medicine's Walk 100 Miles in 100 Days, the state's largest exercise program, and sponsored an internal competition