A Doctor-Owned Practice, Through and Through
When you call Willis & Associates Family Dentistry Ivy, a person in our office picks up the phone. When you settle into the chair, the dentist caring for you is the same one accountable for the whole practice. That is what doctor-owned means to us, no distant corporate office setting production targets, no pressure to pad a treatment plan. Just clinicians, and the team around them, making decisions the way they would for their own families.
The practice is doctor-owned, and it carries over 30 years of trusted service to Ivy, Charlottesville, and Albemarle County. Many of our patients have been coming here for decades. Some first visited as children and now bring children of their own. We do not take that kind of loyalty for granted, we try to earn it again at every single visit.
Dr. Michelle Kim, DDS
Dr. Kim leads clinical care at our Ivy Road office. A UVA alumna who returned to Charlottesville after more than a decade in practice, she is known for a calm, unhurried chairside manner and a conservative treatment philosophy: listen first, explain findings in plain language, and never recommend work that is not truly necessary.
Her care spans the full range of family dentistry, routine exams and cleanings, cosmetic smile design, Invisalign, implant restoration, and gentle sedation options for patients who find dental visits stressful. You can read about her training, her philosophy, and what a first appointment with her looks like on her full bio page.
Dr. Sophia Ellia, DDS, MBA
Dr. Ellia practices between two of our offices, seeing patients here on Ivy Road and at Crozet Family Dental. She provides comprehensive general dentistry for patients of all ages, and she starts by listening: every plan begins with a plain-language conversation about what she sees, what the options are, and the honest benefits and trade-offs of each.
She earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery at the West Virginia University School of Dentistry, where she received the school's Certificate of Honor, and completed an MBA there as well. Away from the office you will find her on a Shenandoah trailhead, deep in a book, or mid-project with a crochet hook.
The Team Around the Chair
Good dentistry is a team effort, and the people working alongside our doctors shape your visit just as much as the dentistry itself.
- Dental hygienists handle your cleanings and are often the first to spot early changes in your gum health. Ours are thorough without being rough, a distinction our patients notice and mention often.
- Dental assistants keep every procedure running smoothly, anticipate what the doctor needs next, and check in on you throughout your appointment.
- Front office coordinators are the friendly voices who help you find an appointment time that actually works, sort out insurance questions, and make sure nothing about your visit feels confusing.
Because we are a smaller, doctor-owned office rather than a rotating-cast clinic, you will see the same faces visit after visit. That continuity matters: the hygienist who cleaned your teeth last spring remembers the spot she was watching, and the front desk remembers that you prefer early mornings.
How We Practice
Our approach is simple: prevention first, honesty always. We would rather catch a small problem at a routine exam than treat a big one later, and we would rather explain your options clearly than steer you toward anything. When treatment is needed, modern technology helps us plan it precisely, iTero digital scanning instead of goopy impressions, CBCT 3D imaging for implant and extraction planning, and Overjet AI diagnostics that give our doctors a second set of analytical eyes on your X-rays.
And when something urgent happens, a broken tooth, a bad toothache, we hold room in the schedule for same-day emergency visits. Start with our emergency care page or just call.
Getting to Know Us
If you are comparing practices, we think that is a healthy instinct, a dentist should feel like a good fit, not just a nearby option. Our post on choosing the right dentist shares the questions we would ask in your shoes. If you have just moved to the area, our guide for Charlottesville newcomers walks through records transfer and first-visit expectations, and UVA students can find campus-specific answers in our student dental guide.
You will find us at 2216 Ivy Rd #205, Charlottesville, VA 22903, on Route 250 (Ivy Road), about 8 minutes west of UVA Grounds, with appointments Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Come meet the team: call (434) 977-4101 or book online.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Willis & Associates Family Dentistry Ivy?
Which dentist will I see at my appointment?
Will I see the same hygienist at each visit?
Do your doctors treat children as well as adults?
How do I meet the team before committing to treatment?
Meet us before your first visit
A short introduction from two of the people you are most likely to see at the Ivy Road office.
Dr. Sophia Ellia, DDS, MBA
Dentist
Dr. Ellia introduces herself and the way she likes to start a visit, by listening first.
Katlyn
Dental Hygienist
Katlyn introduces herself and what a cleaning appointment with her is like.