By Cara Beth Smith
Quality, technologically-advanced dentistry is available in our small community of Bladen County, thanks to Tracie L. Vestal, DDS, PA, in Elizabethtown. In the words of Dr. Vestal, “I’m really living my dream — I always wanted to own my own practice, and I have now for over 20 years. My goals for the future are to continue learning (never stop learning) and to continue to bring the best quality care to my patients.”
Dr. Tracie Vestal is a native of NC, having grown up in the town of Oak Ridge, just outside of Greensboro. She attended UNC Chapel Hill for undergrad with a degree in Chemistry, and also attended UNC Chapel Hill for dental school. She is married to Rodney Long, a Bladen County native. Rodney and Tracie have four children and enjoy traveling with their family and friends to dance competitions, baseball tournaments, and a variety of other activities that keep them busy in their spare time. Dr. Vestal has several pets and enjoys being outside as much as possible, she shared.
Dr. Vestal told BladenOnline that she always knew she wanted to work in the medical profession. She continued, “Dentistry provided a great balance of working hands-on and getting to really know my patients, while also utilizing my artistic abilities.” She added, “Owning my own dental practice has allowed me to shape my practice into a general dentistry practice for the whole family, which I enjoy greatly.”
Many services and procedures are offered to patients at Dr. Vestal’s office. These include:
• General family dentistry for all ages
• Same-day crowns
• Orthodontics, including traditional braces as well as aligner therapy
• At-home whitening
• Implant restorations
• TMJ and facial pain therapy with Botulinum toxin
As we all know, owning a small business is challenging. For many small business owners, COVID was the biggest obstacle they ever had to face. This is true for Dr. Vestal and her staff. She explained, “We are frontline essential workers, and the last three years have been extremely stressful — Supply chain issues, price gouging with supplies, increased safety and screening protocols, and the list goes on and on … We have shown great resilience in navigating these changes that COVID brought to our profession, but it is clear that COVID is here to stay and so will some of these new protocols, the ‘new normal’ as it is called. We are very grateful that our patients as a whole have been so understanding of the many changes that we have had to endure and have had to implement to keep all of us safe and our doors open to treat our patients.”
Dr. Vestal’s office in Elizabethtown is unique because it offers technologically-advanced dentistry that is not often available in small towns. Being part of a small community, Dr. Vestal finds ways to give back to the community. To name a few, Dr. Vestal sponsors local schools through fundraisers, yearbook advertisements, and more, and also sponsors a local tot soccer team, as well as a local Dixie Youth Baseball team.
The dental office is not currently hiring, however, “We gladly accept resumes to keep on file for future job opportunities,” according to Dr. Vestal. Applicants may drop off resumes in person during business hours or mail to the address listed below.
• Location: 500 West Broad Street, Elizabethtown.
• Hours of operation: Tuesday-Thursday 8a-5p and every other Monday and Friday 8a-5p.
• Contact: 910-862-4078
• Online: www.tracievestaldds.com
• Facebook: Tracie L. Vestal, DDS, PA
“I would just like to thank our community for their continued support!” – Dr. Tracie L. Vestal
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