C. Yolanda Bonta, DMD, MS, MS

Dr. Bonta, a founding member of our Association, has been selected by the HDA Board of Trustees to serve as the Executive Director. Dr. Bonta's background and experience represent the right combination for what we have been eagerly seeking in an Executive Director.  She has 17 years in the corporate dental industry with Colgate-Palmolive, plus years of experience in academia and clinical research.  

During her career with Colgate-Palmolive, Dr. Bonta held a series of management positions in the areas of Clinical Research, New Product Technologies, Professional Product Development and Global Professional Marketing.   She has interfaced globally with key opinion leaders across various specialties, defined strategies to build stronger relationships with dental and hygiene schools, and created outstanding scientific publications that have permeated the dental community with their creative and innovative topics.

She is well known throughout the dental industry for her passionate leadership and her steadfast determination to promote innovation and excellence in the field of dentistry.   Dr. Bonta's DMD is from the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine, where she was academic faculty of both the schools of medicine and dentistry, and she is a graduate of State University of New York at Buffalo with a Certificate in Periodontology.  She also holds Masters degrees in Clinical Microbiology from UPR and Oral Biology from SUNY.
 
Dr. Bonta is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists and the Academy of Dentists International, member of the American Dental Association, American Academy of Periodontology, American/International Association for Dental Research, National Dental Association, American Association of Women Dentists, Member of the Board and Past President of the Board of Directors for Friends of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (FNIDCR) and Past President of the Board of Trustees of the Student Clinicians of the ADA (SCADA).