Dr. Charles Carter opened Athens Dental Associates in 1976. Today Dr. Ashley Hill Lindsey leads the team of dentists, from the practice’s new home on Hawthorne Avenue, just off Prince Avenue.
Hawthorne Avenue, next to Hawthorne Medical Center. Same great service.
Awards and memberships held by the practice and its dentists
Our story, since 1976
Every new patient gets a handwritten note from us. We now look after several generations of the same Athens families.
Meet your lead dentist
The child of a pharmacist, she found dentistry after spending a summer in the dental office of a couple from her church. For over 10 years she has helped people see the potential of their smiles, and she treats her patients as if they are her family.
Dr. Mark Blankenship, Dr. Rachel Clay and Dr. Zack Steinmetz, so local families can have top-quality, personalized dentistry right here at home.
Grew up in Athens and graduated from Cedar Shoals High School. Has cared for smiles in the Athens community for over two decades, with advanced training in soft tissue laser surgery, CEREC® restorations and Lumineer® smile makeovers.
BS, University of Georgia · DMD, Medical College of Georgia
For Dr. Clay, dentistry is a blend of art, science and human connection. She completed a residency at Brookdale University Hospital in New York, holds certifications in sedation and in Botox and dermal fillers, and has trained through the Pankey Institute.
Hendrix College · Dental degree, University of Tennessee
Once a nervous patient himself, Dr. Zack found dentistry after a baseball accident in high school. He worked a year as a dental assistant before dental school, and has further training in CAD/CAM dentistry, implant restorations and clear aligners.
University of Georgia · Dental degree, University of Tennessee
Established Athens Dental Associates in 1976, with the vision of providing the best care possible in a warm, friendly and safe environment, with an emphasis on quality work that will last a lifetime. He successfully served the Athens area for over 45 years (and counting!).
He met Dr. Hill Lindsey in 2019.
Meet the team
Decades of experience and a bright, positive energy. They move fast without ever making you feel rushed, and Jennifer has been here since 1999.
Dentistry in Athens, GA
Family dentistry for every age, from kids to seniors: checkups, restorations, replacement teeth, cosmetic work, clear aligners and sleep apnea care, with implants placed right here.
Every checkup starts with an exam and an oral cancer screening, and ends with a professional cleaning that removes plaque and tartar.
Scaling and root planing over two visits, sometimes with a soft tissue laser, and an antibiotic applied to the infection where it helps.
Tooth-colored fillings in about an hour, and ceramic crowns designed, milled and placed in a single visit with CEREC.
Implants planned with a cone beam scanner and placed in-house, so there is no separate specialist to see. All-on-4 is available too.
Porcelain veneers, bonding and whitening, with digital smile design to show you a realistic preview of the result before you commit.
SureSmile clear aligners, each pair worn for about two weeks, 22 hours a day. Crowding, gaps and many overbites can be treated without metal.
The jaw joints assessed with X-rays or CBCT images, then treated with a bite adjustment, an occlusal splint, or BOTOX® for tense muscles.
Oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea, a custom alternative to a CPAP machine, with at-home sleep testing to diagnose it.
An all-porcelain crown designed, fabricated and placed in one appointment, instead of waiting two weeks for a lab and wearing a temporary.
The whole implant process is completed in the office, planned with a cone beam scanner, so you never see a specialist with a different pricing structure.
Custom oral appliances and at-home sleep testing, with a site of its own: Athens Sleep & Snoring Solutions.
Smoothing fine lines, and relaxing the jaw muscles behind TMJ pain and headaches. Results usually last three to six months.
Advanced dental technology
The equipment is updated constantly. If a device saves you time, gives you a better result or a better visit, the practice already has it.
New patients & emergencies
Your first visit takes about an hour, so there is time to learn your needs and goals before anything is planned. In pain? Call. Same-day emergency appointments are available.
For kids and adults, from an experienced sedation dentist.
Call and we book the earliest possible visit, likely the same day, with first-aid tips over the phone.
A root canal usually takes two visits and ends with a crown that protects the tooth. An extraction, wisdom teeth included, is only ever the last resort.
Insurance & payment
Insurance-friendly, with financing when you need it and an in-house membership for anyone without coverage.
We are an out-of-network office, but we accept most traditional and PPO plans and file the claims on your behalf to get the most from your benefits. Call with your membership information and we will tell you how your plan can be used.
CareCredit and Sunbit both offer low-to-no-interest plans with no hidden fees. Signing up takes a few minutes.
Payment is expected at the time of service, unless arrangements have been made beforehand.
No insurance?
No maximums, no deductibles and no waiting periods, so treatment can start the same day. Every plan takes 15% off dental procedures, plus discounts on products in the office.
Plan prices as published by the practice. Please call to confirm current terms.
I drive 3 hours to go to Athens Dental Associates for my dental care. Dr. Ashley is the most gentle dentist I have ever been to. When I have been treated by other dentists in this practice, they are just as good! The whole staff is a pleasure! I highly recommend them!Becky H.Patient review
I absolutely love Athens Dental Associates! Everyone there really goes above and beyond when it comes to explaining everything that they’re doing which I really appreciate. I have had such positive experiences every appointment that I’ve had…JuliannaExcerpt, as shown on the practice’s homepage
Dr. Ashley and all of her staff are very friendly, accommodating, and professional. It was my first visit there based on a recommendation from my Periodontist's office...Jackie R.Excerpt, as shown on the practice’s homepage
Voted Best Dentist and Practice of Athens
Athens Community Choice Awards 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025
Read our Google reviews
Community involvement
To do as much good as possible, the team gets out into the community and partners with people doing great work. At Christmas they “adopt” families through an especially trying time.
The work with Extra Special People began in honor of Dr. William Callaway, an associate dentist and UGA graduate who died in June 2023, aged 33. The team strives every day to live by the example he set.
Passionate about dentistry? Ask about careers
Common questions
We are an out-of-network office, but we accept most traditional and PPO plans and we are happy to file the claims on your behalf to get the most from your benefits. Call with your membership information and we will tell you how your plan can be used.
Our Smart Savings Membership Club covers your cleanings, exams and X-rays for a flat price, with 15% off dental procedures and no maximums, deductibles or waiting periods. For larger treatment, CareCredit and Sunbit offer low-to-no-interest plans with no hidden fees.
Yes. Oral conscious sedation is a pill taken about an hour before your visit, and leaves you calm and relaxed; you will need someone to drive you. Nitrous oxide is lighter, wears off quickly, and most people carry on with their day afterwards. Sedation is available for kids and adults.
Call us. We will book the earliest possible visit, and you will likely be seen the same day. Our team can also give you first-aid tips over the phone.
It takes about an hour. We take some X-rays and do a 5D health scan, then your dentist examines your teeth, gums, jaw, bite, upper airway, existing dental work and soft tissues. You get a candid diagnosis, and more than one way forward where there is one.
Yes. We see all ages, from kids to seniors, and often several generations of the same family. Cleanings, fluoride, sealants and emergencies are all handled here.
We have moved to 1020 Hawthorne Avenue, Athens, next to Hawthorne Medical Center and across the street from Burger King and Fort Knox Storage Units, just off Prince Avenue. For detailed directions, give us a call.
Visit us
Holiday hours can differ. Please call to confirm.
Our team will contact you to confirm a time. If you are in pain, please phone instead. Prefer to pick a slot yourself? Book online.