Dental practice plans to move into closed clinic in Rocky Top
DR. LESLIE HOLMES-LEACH
Dr. Leslie Holmes-Leach, owner of the dental practice, said Monday that she had closed on the purchase of the building last Tuesday (June 15), and is “still getting quotes from contractors” on remodeling of the building to turn it into a dental office.
“We’re excited,” Holmes-Leach said. “Once we pick the contractor, we’ll know more about our timetable for moving.
“We will be doing remodeling, but the building is set up nicely for dental offices already,” she said. “We will have room for 12 operatories and two surgical suites.”
She said she had been planning to remodel the practice’s current offices at 305 S. Main St., but decided to buy the Covenant Health building after it became available.
“We weren’t really looking to move,” she said. “We were going to remodel this building in August. But this came up and we decided to buy it. It’s a really nice facility.”
She said the new location has more than 7,000 square feet of space, as well as 54 parking spaces. Her current building is about half that size, and parking spaces are very limited.
“Parking has been an issue for us,” Holmes-Leach said. “We have up to 35 patients a day.”
The Rocky Top Dentistry practice was begun 43 years ago by Dr. Ron Noe, who is officially retiring next week, Holmes-Leach said. A retirement party is scheduled for Tuesday.
“We have about 8,000 active patients,” Holmes-Leach said. “We have patients in LaFollette, Jacksboro and even up into Kentucky.”
A new dentist starts work at the practice today (Wednesday), Holmes-Leach said. He is Dr. Barry Miller from Columbus, Ohio, a recent graduate of the Ohio State University dental school.
Rocky Top Dentistry now has 14 regular employees, plus some temporary hygienists who are brought in as needed, Holmes-Leach said.
According to the practice’s website (rockytopdentistry.com), “Dr. Leslie Holmes-Leach is from Anderson County and has been working in the dental profession for over 20 years. She received her B.S. degree in dental hygiene from ETSU and spent 10 years working as a hygienist before returning to dental school.”
“Dr. Leslie graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina College of Dental Medicine and followed up with a one-year Advanced Education of General Dentistry Residency. During her residency, she received training in the placement of dental implants as well as training with the medically complex, special needs and anxious patients,” the website notes.