Meet the Team
Justine Chase, DDS
Born in the Marshall Islands and raised in the small town of Kernersville, North Carolina, Dr. Justine Chase graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1993 with a major in biology and a minor in chemistry. Dr. Chase then attended the University of Iowa College of Dentistry on an academic scholarship, graduating in 1997. Dr. Chase opened Mid Bay Dental in 2001.
Dr. Chase is an avid learner and is constantly growing in her field. She has hundreds of hours in continued dental education. She's attended the Pankey Institute (2005-2008); the Spear Institute (2008-present), where she is a faculty club member; and the Clinical Mastery Series (2015-present), where she studied orofacial myofunctional therapy. She is also a member of the American Dental Association and Florida Dental Association, and she volunteers with the Children's Health Network and Give Kids a Smile Program.
Dr. Chase is a devoted mother and a wife of a retired police officer. They enjoy watching their son compete in sports, playing at the beach, and training horses. For almost 20 years, Dr. Chase has committed her career to supporting residents in the Niceville, Florida, area to achieve optimal dental health.
Elizabeth Hughes, DMD
Dr. Elizabeth Hughes was born and raised in Enterprise, Alabama, and attended Auburn University in 2012. She received her bachelor’s degree in nutrition science in 2015, followed by her master’s degree in biomedical science in 2016. While in Auburn, she met her husband Daniel, a mechanical engineer, and they married in 2016.
Dr. Hughes graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry in 2020. She is a member of the American Dental Association and the Florida Dental Association. She is passionate about expanding her knowledge and providing patient-centered care.
In 2020, Dr. Hughes and her husband moved to Niceville to be near family. She brings a fresh and enthusiastic perspective to the practice and is overjoyed to grow in the field of dentistry with the Mid Bay Dental family. She is known for making lasting connections with her patients, so she’s excited to become involved in the community and get to know you and your family.
When Dr. Hughes is not at the office, she enjoys playing with Charlie, her adopted golden retriever, relaxing at the beach, and traveling with her husband. We are very excited about Dr. Hughes joining the Mid Bay Dental family!"
Allison
Expanded Function Dental Assistant
Allison received her RDA, CDA, and expanded functions training in her home state of California. She has been serving as a licensed dental assistant for more than 30 years. Allison has countless hours of continuing education with Spears Education, Clinical Mastery Series, National Sleep Alliance, and many others. Most recently, she has received intense training in sleep apnea, including the use of specialized appliances that improve breathing during sleep. Allison is dedicated to helping patients improve not only their dental health but also their overall health and wellness through better sleep and breathing.
Allison enjoys boating, riding motorcycles with her husband, and spoiling her family.
Betty
Expanded Function Dental Assistant
Betty joined Mid Bay Dental in 2004. She received her CDA and expanded function license from Northwest Florida State College. She then returned to NWFSC as a dental adjunct professor for eight years. Betty loves educating patients on all aspects of dental care and is delighted to see patients improve their overall dental health.
Betty and her husband have been married for 31 years and have three beautiful children. She likes to spend her free time shopping, traveling, cruising, dancing, and gardening.
Ronda
Registered Dental Hygienist
Ronda is originally from Indiana and began practicing dental hygiene at Mid Bay Dental in 2003. Prior to becoming a dental hygienist, she practiced locally as a certified orthodontic assistant for six years. She earned her RDH from Pensacola State College. Ronda tries to treat every patient like family and always provides quality care with a special touch.
When Ronda is not spoiling her three grandchildren, she loves to bake for friends and travel with her husband of 38 years.
Lee
Registered Dental Hygienist and Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist
Lee grew up in a military family traveling all over the world. She earned her degree in dental hygiene from Pensacola State College and her bachelor’s degree from Northwest Florida State College. Lee enjoys working in an environment where we treat our patients like family, educate them on health issues, answer their questions, and ease any concerns about their treatment and care. She is able to help patients with all their oral health needs as a dental hygienist. As a myofunctional therapist, she specializes in helping patients with orofacial myofunctional disorders.
Lee is a member of the American Dental Hygiene Association, Florida Dental Hygiene Association, and International Association of Orofacial Myology.
When not in the dental office, Lee enjoys traveling with her husband, spending time with family and friends, and performing volunteer work.
Amelia
Office Manager
Originally from Tampa, Amelia is a true Florida native. Since moving to the Emerald Coast in 2002, she has focused her career in dental administration. With more than 15 years of experience in dental office management, she is very familiar with the day-to-day operations of the office, including knowledge of dental insurance benefits, scheduling, and helping our patients from the moment they call to schedule an appointment to the completion of services.
Outside the office, Amelia spends most of her time with her husband and two children, enjoying all the benefits of living on our beautiful coast.
Sonya
Front Desk Receptionist
Sonya grew up in north Georgia. She spent more than 20 years as an Air Force wife, traveling throughout the U.S. and Asia with her husband. Her educational and work background is in counseling. Sonya joined the Mid Bay Dental family in 2009 for a temporary stint and has been with us ever since. She loves interacting with and assisting patients and fellow staff members in any way possible.
Away from the office, Sonya loves family game nights, entertaining friends, scrapbooking, and volunteering at her church. And, of course, yelling ROLL TIDE!
