Teal Mercer

Education

M.P.H. Public Health; University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT 2003
B.S. Economics; Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. 1984
A.S. Dental Hygiene; University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT. 1978

Courses Taught

DH 214 Oral Facial Structures
DH 215 Radiology
DH 342 Dental Materials
DH 360 Local Anesthesia
DH 462 Senior Internship
DH 468 Senior Project

Professor Mercer joined the Dental Hygiene program at the University of New Haven in September 2001. She became director of the program in Fall 2009. Teal has a wealth of work experience, including: general, orthodontic, periodontal and prosthodontic dental practices as well as a hospital dental clinic and a school based dental program. She started her teaching career in 1998 after serving in the U.S. Public Health Service. Her teaching assignments currently included Oral Facial Structures and Embryology, Radiology, Dental Materials, Local Anesthesia, Senior Project, Senior Internship and a clinical rotation to the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, CT.

 In August 2006, Teal and 5 student interns spent two weeks in Romania. They had the opportunity to treat over 200 children and adults at an orphanage in Valea Plopului. Teal now returns each summer with dental hygiene internship/senior project students to provide preventive oral health services to this needy population.

Along with her co-workers, Teal has developed and implemented a local anesthesia certificate course. Through these weekend programs they have certified hundreds of licensed hygienists to provide local anesthesia.

In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Teal works with the Danbury Public Schools and Community Oral Health Initiative. She has assisted this new program with an oral heath needs assessment and subsequent grant writing. The Danbury Public Schools Oral Health Initiative has received grant money that has enabled them to implement a school-linked oral health program. This program provides comprehensive dental care to the underserved children in Danbury, CT.