Dr. Ellie's Story

From Dr. Ellie - My Background

I grew up in the United Kingdom and graduated as a dentist from Guy’s Hospital Medical School in London in 1970. After completing an Oral Surgery residency at East Grinstead Hospital, I began my career as a general dentist in Switzerland, where I learned groundbreaking concepts about how teeth and gums can heal themselves when provided with balanced and healing oral conditions.

Upon returning to the UK, I opened my own preventive dental office in Eastbourne. During this time, I expanded my knowledge of simple home care methods to stop cavities and resolve gum disease. Several days a week, I would teach pregnant women using a slideshow presented in the waiting room of a local maternity clinic. My goal was to explain the importance of oral health and how it influences overall body health, as well as the oral health of a baby.

I also took a course in orthodontics at the Eastman Institute in London, where I had the opportunity to meet renowned dental professionals and scientists researching the management of tooth decay and the connection between oral health and general well-being.

In 1984, I moved to the United States and graduated from the Pediatric Specialty program at the Eastman Institute in Rochester, NY. In 1999, I completed the AEGD program in Esthetic (Cosmetic) Dentistry and worked in the Emergency Dental department at the University of Rochester, NY, as well as with geriatric and special needs patients. I served as Faculty and Director of the Pediatric Clinic, where I met a professor who had authored many studies on xylitol in the 1970s. While I already knew xylitol was beneficial, Dr. Berkowitz and Dr. Milgrom introduced me to the concept that xylitol could control the transmission of harmful bacteria and promote a healthy oral ecology in early childhood.

During this period, I taught oral health to nursing and medical staff and began hosting educational seminars for the public. I discussed the effectiveness of xylitol and how proper oral care can reverse acidic damage and help control tooth and gum disease. By 2004, I recognized the need for a well-formulated xylitol product, which led me to create a line of dental mints and gum called Zellie’s, sweetened only with 100% pure xylitol. Wegmans Food Markets promptly took on the products and invited me to educate their staff about oral health and xylitol. For years, I have focused on educating others about xylitol through group meetings and at health stores across New York, Pennsylvania, and in Austin, Texas.

In 2010, I became a founder of the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health (AAOSH), an organization that has evolved into a world leader in proactive healthcare collaboration. I have also authored three books: Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye, 1st and 2nd Editions and Mouth Care Comes Clean, which explain why my specific method of oral care is so effective.

My dream is to offer effective home-care oral health programs to families around the globe.

Dr. Ellie's Career Highlights

• Ellie Phillips DDS trained at Guy’s Hospital Medical School, University of London. She did a residency in oral surgery at the Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, and worked in clinical dentistry in Switzerland, the UK, and the US.
• In the 1970s she gained experience at the Eastman Institute for Oral Health in London, worked in general practice, in a children’s dental clinic, and opened her own preventive office to focus on preventive care for families and special needs patients.
• She created her first educational oral health program for pregnant moms.
• She received an AEGD (Advanced Education in General Dentistry) and Pediatric Specialty from the University of Rochester, N.Y.
• She was Outpatient Pediatric Clinic Director and Faculty at the Eastman Institute For Oral health and helped develop a University Multi-Disciplinary Dental Practice.
• She believes oral health is a vital contributor to general health and was a Founding Member of the American Academy For Oral Systemic Health (AAOSH).
• She has held seminars, offered individual coaching, and contributed to public education through blogs and social media by teaching the biochemistry of dental disease.
• She has written articles and given seminars and webinars to health professionals – including medical and dental students, nurses, chiropractors and alternative health professionals, pediatric and general dentists, and private physicians.
• She has authored three books Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye, 1st and 2nd Editions and Mouth Care Comes Clean.
• She founded Zellie's Dental Mints and Gum in 2004