Bio
Dr Sarah K Merkley (she/her) joined Hazeldean Dental Group as a general dentist in 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although she never expected her dental career to begin during a global pandemic, she was no stranger to the inner workings of her family’s practice. The youngest daughter of the late Dr Burton L Merkley, who founded Hazeldean Dental Group with his wife in 1983, Sarah worked at Hazeldean during her youth. From answering phones to filing charts, and as she grew older to observing dental procedures, she was able to foster her individual interest in oral health and dentistry as a profession where she could help people.
After completing her Bachelors of Health Sciences, Honours Specialization in Health Studies at Western University in 2012, her education in the dental field began at Toronto’s George Brown College Dental Hygiene program. Here her passion for preventive oral health, patient-focused care and education expanded. Desiring to further her dental education, coupled with a curious mind and interest in travel, she pursued her goal to become a Dentist and moved across the world to Cairns, Australia. Here she completed James Cook University’s rigorous 5-year dental program, which included a one-year residency in rural and remote dentistry in Cairns, Queensland and Hobart, Tasmania. Although sunny Australia may have been a tempting place to settle, core family values brought Dr Merkley back to the Ottawa Area to work alongside her sister, Rebecca, Director of Operations at Hazeldean.
Dr Merkley’s patients would describe her as a kind and compassionate practitioner with a high attention to detail. It is important to her that all members of the community feel comfortable, safe, and that their needs are heard and respected when in her chair. She is comfortable in all aspects of general dentistry, with a particular interest in restorative procedures, implant dentistry and Invisalign.
In her spare time, you can find Dr Merkley antiquing with her spouse, planning her summer garden after recently moving to Kanata, and volunteering her time advocating for animal rescue and wellbeing.