POCATELLO — Idaho State University professor JoAnn Gurenlian has received the Ester Wilkins Lifetime Achievement Award for her work in oral health, education and dental hygiene.
Gurenlian is the Director of ISU’s dental hygiene master’s program. She holds a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene from Fairleigh Dickinson, University and a master’s in dental hygiene from Columbia University and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. She joined ISU in 2010, and is currently the director of ISU’s dental hygiene master’s program.
She has taught nearly 30 years and has had 220 papers publish about dental hygiene.
The award, a crystal vase, was given to Gurenlian in June at the American Dental Hygienists’ Association Annual Session in Tennessee. “It was absolutely thrilling and surreal”, said Gurenlian about the event. Photographers were also at the event and will create a special scrapebook for her to commemorate the evening.
She was honored for providing advanced education and research opportunities for dental hygienist, who focus on preventive dental care. Her research focused on several areas including oral pathology, cancer, diabetes and women’s health.
According to Gurenlian the next step is developing the nations first doctorate in Dental hygiene. Many professionals currently have to go outside their major to get a doctorate. Dental hygiene has reached a level were more research needs to be done and at a higher level, Gurenlian said.
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