Dr. Stacey Griner
Associate Professor, Population & Community Health
Education & Experience:
My career started in clinical dental hygiene, where I spent more than a decade working directly with patients before moving into academia. I’m still licensed and active in both Texas and Florida, which helps me stay grounded in real-world practice while teaching and researching public health. I earned my PhD in Public Health and a graduate certificate in Women and Gender Studies from the University of South Florida, an MPH in Social and Behavioral Sciences from the University of Florida, and a Bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene Education from St. Petersburg College. More recently, I became a certified Community Health Worker Instructor (CHW-I) in Texas, expanding the ways I connect communities and health professionals. In 2025, I was selected as a Provost’s Faculty Success Fellow at UNT Health, a role where I get to do one of my favorite things: building bridges between faculty and community partners to spark meaningful collaboration.
Teaching Areas & Public Health Interests:
Mentorship and meaningful connections with students are at the heart of my teaching philosophy. I’ve guided students training to become clinicians, researchers, and public health professionals by supporting their academic, research, and professional development goals. My commitment to mentorship is also reflected in my scholarship, where I have published on the core values of successful mentor–mentee relationships. I primarily teach courses in the MPH Maternal and Child Health program, including Introduction to Maternal and Child Health and Human Sexuality and Reproductive Health. I have also designed curriculum and interactive learning activities that strengthen students’ cultural competence in maternal and child health. Beyond these courses, my teaching background spans health behavior, reproductive health, women’s health, and community health, delivered in both classroom and online settings. In every course, I aim to spark critical thinking through active discussion, hands-on application, and a strong emphasis on practical application.
Professional Activities & Awards:
I’m honored to have been recognized with the Boston Congress of Public Health 40 Under 40 Public Health Catalyst award in 2024 and the American Sexually Transmitted Disease Association (ASTDA) Young Investigator Award in 2022. Beyond awards, what matters most to me is being part of professional communities that are pushing public health forward.
I’ve served two terms as a Governing Councilor for the American Public Health Association’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Section. On the research side, I serve on the Editorial Board for Sexually Transmitted Diseases and review for many public health journals. Closer to home, I’ve dedicated five years as Treasurer of the Tarrant County Health Equity Alliance and now serve as a Member at Large on the Executive Board, continuing my commitment to advancing health at both the local and national level.
Scholarly Interests:
I am an implementation scientist with a passion for turning evidence into action, focusing on translating evidence-based guidelines and policies into real-world clinical and community practice. Using theory-driven, mixed-methods approaches and implementation science frameworks, I study the multilevel factors that influence adoption and delivery of guidelines, with the goal of closing the gap between knowledge and practice. Much of my work centers on sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening and prevention, including projects evaluating prenatal providers’ implementation of chlamydia and syphilis screening guidelines in Texas, examining the rollout of future STI vaccines, and testing innovative approaches such as point-of-care tests, consumer-driven models, self-sampling, and direct-to-consumer testing. I also investigate broader health behaviors among adolescents, young adults, and pregnant people, as well as the intersections of oral health and STIs, including HPV-related cancers and opportunities to integrate cancer prevention into dental settings.
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