Janis Mercer

Janis Mercer serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry at Howard University's College of Dentistry. Her primary responsibilities include teaching in the pre-clinical Operative Laboratory and Restorative Dental Clinic, where she trains dental students in foundational restorative techniques and serves as course coordinator for the second-year Operative Dentistry program.

Her educational background includes a BS in Zoology (1974) and DDS (1974), both earned at Howard University. These qualifications form the foundation of her clinical teaching expertise.

Dr. Mercer specializes in operative and restorative dentistry, with emphasis on systematic caries removal, direct restoration techniques (composite resin and amalgam), and modern indirect restoration methodologies. Her teaching integrates contemporary technologies like intraoral scanning and CAD/CAM milling, preparing students for licensure exams through rigorous simulation training in ideal preparation techniques. The curriculum spans from D1 summer to mid-October of D2 year, focusing on handpiece operation and scientifically validated restoration protocols.

In the Simulation Lab environment, each student utilizes dedicated workstations featuring adjustable operator stools, simulated torsos/manikin heads, overhead lighting, and bracket tables. Dr. Mercer's didactic lectures complement lab work by covering caries pathogenesis, diagnosis protocols, and restoration material science - including emerging techniques where intraoral scans enable same-visit ceramic restorations through in-house milling capabilities.