Meet Our Team

“Dentistry is very fascinating. The connection between oral health and overall health keeps me intrigued.”

Ashley has been at Falmouth Dental Arts since 2008. She enjoys developing relationship with patients and catching up with them at their continuing care appointments. She is dedicated to providing exceptional patient care and advancing clinical excellence. As the Clinical Director, it is Ashley's goal to ensure the highest standars of treatment, patient safety and practice efficiency.

“It is truly rewarding to see how improving someone’s oral health, or even the appearance of their smile, can have such a huge impact on their overall well-being.” By spending time listening to each patient’s needs and working collaboratively we are able to tailor care to meet the unique needs of each patient. “Our office’s technology is crest of the wave, and it really allows us to involve patients during their treatment planning, helping them gain a better understanding of what is going on inside of their mouths.”

Ashley earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Dental Hygiene from the University of New England and a Masters of Science in Education from Saint Joseph College. She is a member of the Sigma Phi Alpha National Dental Hygiene Honors Society and also holds a license in local anesthesia as well as nitrous oxide. She enjoys attending continuing education courses, and also takes time to develop and instruct continuing education courses centered on wellness.

Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband and three children who keep them busy with their passion for sports. When they are not at the ball field, they enjoy traveling and spending time along the ocean.

“We have a lot of knowledge here in this office collectively. In fact, our team has over 200 combined years of dental experience, which is incredible and unique among dental practices.”

Diann has been with our office since 1997 and has been practicing dental hygiene for over 30 years.
 She treasures the team­-learning seminars the staff takes part in through continuing education. “I love the enthusiasm created by the whole team learning together. We can branch off and learn about other things and then come back and share.” Listening to her patients is one of the most important parts of her job, Diann notes, as this helps her to care for each patient in the way they need to be treated. “Since we think of things in the long­term, I’ve learned that listening today will help tomorrow.” But Diann also enjoys the fun side of work. “I love laughing with my patients. We all have better days when we laugh a lot.”

Diann earned her Dental Hygiene degree from Westbrook College and received her license in local anesthesia at University of New England. She likes to bike, swim, downhill and cross-country ski, as well as spend time with her family.

“Dentistry is continuously evolving and we strive to stay on top of the newest information. We pride ourselves on continuing our dental education and sharing our knowledge not only with each other, but with our patients too.”

Erin graduated from Westbrook College in 1996 with a B.S. degree in Dental Hygiene, as well as a nitrous oxide certification. She has been in the dental field ever since, joining Falmouth Dental Arts in February 2019. However, her love of oral health apparently goes back even further–her mom reports that as a little girl, Erin would watch TV and comment on the actors’ teeth.

At Falmouth Dental Arts, Erin is delighted to be part of an amazing team that puts patient comfort and patient education first. “FDA takes the time to get to know patients to create individual treatment plans based on their needs and wants. I love educating my patients about the new developments in dentistry.” She enjoys treating patients of all ages, and finds it rewarding to form relationships with them. “It’s such an honor to take care of generations of the same family.”

Erin loves to spend her free time with her husband and their two boys. They enjoy fishing, cooking, and hanging out on the beach.

Jean earned her dental hygiene degree from UNE in 1988. Her first job was in orthodontics, the same orthodontic office that she went to as a child. “I had such a nice hygienist there; I always thought her job seemed fun!” She worked in a family dental practice for the next 28 years and joined the team at Falmouth Dental Arts in 2018. “It’s a very welcoming place to be. My coworkers make FDA a place to look forward to spending my day and my patients could not be nicer!"

Jean finds her work very rewarding. She loves inspiring patients to keep their smiles healthy.

Jean lives locally with her husband, 3 kids, and their dog. She enjoys travel, music and spending time at the lake.

“Helping patients feel confident about their smile is such a rewarding experience!  I love motivating patients to keep up with their oral care. Also, my goal is always to help patients feel relaxed at their appointment…I want patients to enjoy their visits here at FDA.”

Growing up in Biddeford, Alex earned her dental hygiene degree from the University of New England in 2018.  She joined FDA in 2019 and appreciates the opportunity to work with a team of caring professionals. “Being a new grad, I love being able to learn from such experienced coworkers.”  Alex particularly enjoys FDA’s holistic and individualized approach to oral care. “Oral hygiene plays such an important role with overall systemic health. Every patient is different and unique in their own way, and I am passionate about finding a routine that works for his or her lifestyle.”

From running to taking barre classes to doing spin classes, Alex loves to exercise in her spare time.  She also enjoys spending time with family and friends, and checking out new restaurants in the Portland area.  Let her know if you have a favorite spot she should try!

“We go above and beyond for our patients. In fact, I’ve built up a clientele that I’ve seen for so long, I just can’t wait to catch up with them during their next visit.”

Kelly earned her dental hygiene degree from the University of New England in 1997 and has been practicing ever since. “The ‘key’ is to work for great doctors,” she says. “Our doctors are always a step ahead in adopting useful technology which makes for a comfortable dental practice for our patients and an exciting work environment and culture for the staff.”

Patient care is very important to Kelly, and our patients always get exceptional one­-on-one care from her. She is always good for a laugh and is always having fun.

Kelly and her family enjoy the Maine outdoors, camping, fishing, or biking whenever possible. Kelly spends much of her time at her children’s sporting events and is their biggest fan.

“I love the team at FDA! Everyone is highly trained and are the best at what they do. We all really care and put our patients first.”

Lydianne entered the dental profession out of a desire to help people. She spent two years as a dental assistant prior to and while she attended dental hygiene school. Lydianne completed her bachelor's degree at the University of New England in 2020. “I especially enjoy working with patients who have dental anxiety. Meeting them where they are, addressing their concerns, and identifying what I can do to make them more comfortable is my favorite part of the job.”

She has recently taken up golf and likes to play a round with her husband whenever possible. When she is not golfing, she loves to read, work on house project and explore downtown Portland. She also loves spending time with her family and has 14 nieces and nephews!

“Our motto is, “Have fun while doing great work!” It’s all about working as a team to do the best for our patients and keep them relaxed. Everyone here helps each other.”

Mary has worked in the dental field since 1995, many of those years spent at Falmouth Dental Arts. For Mary, the dental care here is excellent in part because of the encouragement and support that staff members receive to take continuing education classes. “We’re constantly improving our knowledge,” she explains. “These courses help us to communicate well together, which is very important.” She also notes the importance of listening to patients and finding out about their past dental experiences so they will be more comfortable and receive the best treatment. “We explain things and show examples to our patients. I think this really helps them understand and feel more at ease. They’ll ask more questions,” she says. It’s also the transformations she witnesses that keep Mary so interested in dentistry. She enjoys helping people and seeing the results of a successful treatment. “I love knowing that our patients feel good about themselves afterward. They see the success, too.”

Mary graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education. She is also a Certified Dental Assistant and holds an X-­ray Certification.

Married with two children and a cat, Mary stays active with her kids. She loves to plan and organize events and activities. Mary also enjoys snowmobiling, golfing, dinner and events with friends and being at the lake or ocean with her family. When she has a moment to herself, Mary likes reading non­fiction, fiction, and detective/murder­-mystery novels.

“I love helping patients feel relaxed and at ease during their dental appointments. There are people who dread coming and some are very fearful. I understand the anxiety of these patients. I hope my presence, compassion, and experience as a Dental Assistant helps everyone have a better experience when coming here.”

Pat has been a Certified Dental Assistant for over 17 years. She worked with Dr. Nelson at A Perfect Smile for 15 years and recently came back to join the team at FDA. “The reception from this team has not only been welcoming but genuinely loving. It is beyond words to come back and see familiar faces. I feel like I never left.” Pat handles patient radiology and assists chairside for cosmetic and restorative procedures.

Pat enjoys spending her free time with her boyfriend, friends, and family, and loves a good bonfire.

“Everyone at FDA really cares – about patients and each other – and that’s what makes it work. When your co-workers create a comfortable environment for you then you can make it more comfortable for your patients in turn. It makes for a very warm and caring atmosphere.”

Mirela has worked in the dental field since 2003, joining the Falmouth Dental Arts team in May 2017. She has worked in pediatric dentistry for most of this time, which lends her a unique perspective on dentistry. “Anyone can be afraid of going to the dentist – not just children,” she shares. “That’s why we do everything we can here at FDA to make patients feel comfortable and relaxed while they’re in our chairs.”

At Falmouth Dental Arts, you can find Mirela providing chairside assistance, handling anything from whitening procedures to laboratory duties. “Working here is definitely different from any other practice, and our doctors who are very supportive of ongoing learning. I’ve already learned so much from the team since joining the practice and I’ve enjoyed getting to know our patients. Everyone is encouraging and helpful.” She also provides language support for the team with her fluency in Albanian and Greek.

Mirela spends much of her free time with her husband, son, daughter and grandchildren. She enjoys reading, snowshoeing with her husband and their black lab/boxer mix named Lola in winter, and relaxing at the lake when it is warm enough.

“I like the sense of community at FDA; everyone is so supportive and the doctors make you feel like family. It’s wonderful to be able to learn from great people and grow.”

Lindsey joined the FDA team as a Clinical Assistant. Always interested in the dental field, she has had an opportunity to train and learn at FDA and is committed to putting patient care and comfort first. “I love seeing a variety of patients. Helping them achieve a positive goal with their dental health is rewarding.”

When she’s not at work, Lindsey enjoys hanging out with her puppy, Tucker, and reading. In the summer she loves hiking, camping and swimming.

Sue is our office manager and has been a part of our team since 1989 when she began her career as a dental hygienist.

Her many years at FDA have given her the skills and knowledge required to lead the team. For Sue, excellent listening, communication skills and knowledge of treatment procedures allow her to understand the needs of patients and the ability to train new team members.

Sue completed her Associate’s Degree in Dental Hygiene at the University of Maine at Orono. She enjoys spending time with her husband, adult children and grandchildren. Her interests are cooking, gardening, camping, and and in the summer months, sitting at home by the shores of Sebago Lake.

“I love seeing our patients and building a connection with them throughout the years. I try to help them feel at ease right away, from their very first phone call and when they first walk through the door.”

Marlene has enjoyed working in dentistry since 1990. “Working at FDA is like working with extended family,” she explains. “Everyone works together as a team and we all care about each other, which makes it such a great practice to work at and be treated as a patient. There is such a connection between staff and patients – it is very special.”

Marlene completed business school in New York and brings much experience and knowledge to our very caring front desk team.

Marlene loves spending time with her husband – whether it be cooking at home together, year-round grilling with their neighbors, or watching sports together. They are avid “backyard birdwatchers,” share a love for animals, and have a very sweet and silly orange tiger cat that they adore!

“I love working at FDA! I feel accepted and valued as a member of the team. We all collaborate on making FDA a comfortable and relaxing space for our patients to get the care they need.”

With a background in education and insurance, Eliza joined FDA in April of 2024 as our Insurance Coordinator. She works with our patients to make sure we have the correct information to file insurance claims for reimbursement, and communicates about the costs estimates for upcoming treatments. Patient care and comfort are top priorities and Eliza is always available to answer patient questions. As part of the Front Desk team, she also answers phones and checks patients in and out of the office as well.

In her free time, Eliza enjoys spending time with her friends playing video games and Dungeons & Dragons. When not on virtual adventures, she’s outside walking her dogs and spending time with her family.