Meet Our Doctors
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Angela L. Austin, DMD
Dr. Angela is a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist and the founder of Alexandria Children’s Dentistry.
Education and Community Involvement
She earned her Doctorate of Dental Medicine degree from the prestigious University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine at the age of 25. While in dental school, Dr. Angela served as vice president of the Student National Dental Association, was co-editor of the Penn Dental Journal, and participated in various community service efforts in local Philadelphia schools. Dr. Angela was selected to be a National Health Service Corps scholar, and she later served providing dental care for the homeless, care for patients under the Ryan White HIV/AIDS act, and those recently released from incarceration in a dentally underserved community. She also took classes and provided art therapy for children in a battered women's shelter for two years.
Immediately following dental school, Dr. Angela completed her pediatric residency at the renowned Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC which is ranked #5 in the nation. It was there, where she served as the Chief Resident.
While there, she gained a great deal of experience in all areas of pediatric dentistry. It was during this very busy time in residency, Dr. Angela took any extra time she had participating in various community service efforts. She took classes and learned how to best become a mentor for children living with HIV/AIDS and was a source of love and support for the families. Dr. Angela also sought out an opportunity to provide dental care in an orphanage in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. This experience motivated her to become a long-term godparent for children in the orphanage with Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos, which she has been for the last 15 years.
As an Ivy League graduate and as a practicing Board Certified Pediatric Dentist, Dr. Angela has made great strides to ensure competency in the area of pediatric dentistry.
Personal Life
Dr. Angela is happily married and the mother of 3 young children. There’s something special about being a mother and practicing pediatric dentistry. Dr. Angela treats every single child who comes through her office as if each were her own. She's most proud of being an amazing mother and being able to relate as a mother to parents who come to the practice. Parenting is beautiful and at the same time can be challenging and she personally recognizes this and provides care in a loving and nonjudgmental manner. They also have two dogs: Roxie and Chloe, and a tortoise named Speedy :)
Her love for giving back to families and her community is evident and is core to her personal beliefs. If you know Dr. Angela, you know her to be involved in any effort to donate her time and money to the betterment of her community and the world. She is a big believer of utilizing calming techniques and caring for the mind when it comes to children's development. She offers free yoga sessions to her patients and children in Alexandria and the surrounding areas.
While not in the office, you can find Dr. Angela working out (she loves the sauna!), participating in church activities, she's a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., dinner dates with her husband, managing and coordinating all the sports her children participate in :) , traveling when there's time, watching and attending professional sporting events, and reading fiction novels.
Awards, Associations, and Expertise
Dr. Angela proudly practices as a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. She has a great deal of expertise when it comes to pediatric airway and performing surgeries such as frenectomies to aid in the comprehensive approach to ensuring optimal airways for her patients. She has a team of specialists for referrals and collaboration and she's also become an orofacial myologist to ensure competency when it comes to airway education and treatment.
Dr. Angela is proud to be one of the Top Dentists in both the prestigious Washingtonian Magazine and the Northern Virginia Magazine! She is also the vice president of the Alexandria Dental Society a member of the American Dental Association, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, Virginia Dental Association, Northern Virginia Dental Association, Autism Society of America, National Association of Professional Women, Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, Academy of Laser Dentistry, and DC Dental Society.
Contact our two convenient Alexandria locations in Landmark or Del Ray for further information or to schedule an appointment your child!
Melanie Jones, DDS
Dr. Melanie was born and raised in Peru, where she received her “first” Doctorate of Dental Surgery. Her passion for children was evident with each and every patient she encountered and, knowing that educating and positively influencing young patients is key, she went on to earn a diploma in early childhood education. She worked in a dental clinic located in a primary school until love (her husband) made her leave her native Peru and move to the U.S.
Once settled in Virginia, she enrolled at Howard University College of Dentistry, and graduated on the dean’s list. While in dental school (for the second time!), she had her daughter, and decided to continue her studies at Howard University to pursue a specialty in pediatric dentistry and was appointed chief resident.
Dr. Melanie is incredibly passionate about her profession as a pediatric dentist and especially her patients, whom she calls her “little friends.” She strives to provide exceptional dental care for children while trying her absolute best to meet their individual needs — because she understands no child is alike.
She believes a friendly and positive environment will create the foundation for lifelong good dental health and the parents often are her best allies in achieving and maintaining their children’s oral health. For this reason, she strives to share with parents the most current information related to pediatric dentistry, as well as tips and her own personal experiences as a mom for parents seeking solutions to tough dental care situations, from getting a child to brush their teeth to the best time to start flossing.
"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."
In addition, Dr. Melanie is a board-certified pediatric dentist as recognized by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and an active member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. She is fluent in German, Spanish, and English!
Dr. Melanie lives in Alexandria with her husband Richard, their daughter Lea, and their Beagle Kooba. Her spare time activities have changed during this pandemic, but she definitely found joy working on home projects.
Chelsea Straughn, DMD
Dr. Chelsea was born and raised in Arlington, Virginia. She graduated from Spelman College in Atlanta, GA with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. After finishing her undergraduate degree, she moved to Boston to attend Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, where she received her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree. She completed an additional two years of training to become a pediatric dental specialist with New York University’s Langone Hospital in Western Massachusetts. Her training focused on the comprehensive care of pediatric patients under general anesthesia, emergency dental treatment, and children with special healthcare needs.
Dr. Chelsea has a passion for working with children, and strives to make each dental visit an enjoyable experience. She is a member of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Association.
Aside from dentistry, Dr. Straughn enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, cooking, and traveling.
