Spotlight on: Dr. Leslie A. Elston

Six months ago, Dr. Leslie Elston opened her dental office in Windham as a compliment to the practice she has had in Bridgton since 1999. The office is warm and inviting, gone are the traditional white sterile walls and white porcelain sinks. There are still dental tools in the office, but with so many other things to look at, they blend in with the surroundings. 
 

“We’ve had a good response and met a lot of great, new patients,” she said. Elston prides herself on being a family dentist who works with smiles from 4 years old to geriatric, and seniors over 65 years old receive a 10 percent discount. 

It’s no secret that people don’t always like to go to the dentist, but Elston treats her patients the way she wants to be treated, she said. People fear the unknown. It’s expensive. There’s noise and needle phobias to contend with, but Elston wants to fix people’s smiles. 

Elston does gum treatments, root canals, some extractions, cosmetic filings, composite and bonding, and even gold filings. She also does veneers to give “smile makeovers”. Elston also has a CEREC computer-aided technology machine that can create a crown in one appointment, which can be explained on her website. 

The office also uses digital x-rays, which can be viewed on any computer.  

Elston does a lot in her office, but “if I don’t feel like I can do something up to snuff, I refer it out.” 

Elston has been known to walk into a store, see someone struggling to hide their smile and offer to fix their teeth. “One Christmas I gave a girl 10 crowns across the front. I give back that way,” Elston said. The woman told Elston that the smile makeover changed her world. 

This past week, a patient sent flowers and chocolates to Elston as a thank you for his wonderful appointment. 

Elston is proactive in her continuing education logging hundreds of hours of additional trainings. She is also CPR certified and ACLS certified. Another thing Elston believes sets her apart is her gender. “I pride myself on listening to people,” she said. “We try to take each person as an individual. We present treatment options, different options, depending on financials, and goals.”

Elston employs two hygienists, Heather Linnie and Jordan Pennells.

The office, located at 713 Roosevelt Trail, has become a network provider for Cigna and Delta Dental. Elston is also looking to partner with Met Life and Aetna, she said. Changing dentists can be done with a phone call to Elston’s office manager, Alex Elston, her brother, who will take care of the paperwork. The office is not open on Mondays. For more information on the practice or to schedule an appointment with Elston, call 892-3200 or visit www.drleslieaelston.com.