I Chose ISU – Leciel Bono, grad student and adjunct professor

Leciel Bono’s early life on an Eastern Idaho farm taught her the value of discipline and hard work—traits that have served her well at Idaho State University.

A Bengal for 20 years, Bono holds bachelor’s degrees in biology and dental hygiene and is a graduate student in the dental hygiene master’s program. That’s just the half of it—an adjunct professor in the Department of Dental Hygiene for 16 years, Bono designed a new course in interprofessional practice management which she is teaching this semester.

Bono earned her undergraduate degrees in 1998. In 2010, she decided to become a student again and begin her postgraduate studies in dental hygiene. She is in her last semester of the master’s program and hopes to graduate in December.

Bono said she chose ISU because of its nationally acclaimed undergraduate and graduate programs in dental hygiene. She loves the convenience of the master’s program because it is offered online, making it easy to keep a full-time job in the department while attending classes from home. ISU was one of the first universities in the country to offer an online dental hygiene master’s program.

According to Bono, the department is also planning to launch a doctorate program (PhD) in dental hygiene within the next two years, which will also be the first of its kind in the nation.

“ISU is a great school – the education has been superb,” said Bono. “The courses here are much more in depth and well-rounded than anywhere else I looked at. The online dental hygiene program also really appealed to me because it provided the opportunity to interact with people from all over the United States and Canada. It has completely broadened my perspective,” she said.

Bono has conducted several workshops at the American Dental Education Association meetings and also recently presented research at the Third North American Global Research Conference.

“The master’s program at ISU has opened up so many doors for me,” said Bono. “The department has been wonderful in supporting me in my endeavors and providing opportunities to teach and conduct research.”

Bono said that she also had the privilege of being mentored by her thesis advisor, Dr. Ellen Rogo, as well as the director of the dental hygiene graduate program, Dr. JoAnn Gurenlian, who were both very influential in her career and embody excellent examples of leadership.

In addition to teaching, Bono works at the ISU Dental Hygiene Clinic which provides training for student clinicians and oral health care for the community.

Bono’s plans for the future include applying for a full-time tenure position in the department and pursuing a doctorate in dental hygiene once the program starts.