Meet Team - Meet our smile team at Avon Village Family Dentistry

Dr. Mentasti is a graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine and a graduate of the UCONN undergraduate program with a degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology. During her time as a college and dental student, she was very involved in dental public health research. With a particular focus on access to care, Dr. Mentasti published a number of articles and served as editor for a document commissioned by the State Department of Public Health. This work served as the basis for her Master of Public Health thesis, which she completed during her dental training.

Lauren was born and raised in Bristol, where she lived with her parents Joe and Ellen and her younger brother Brendon. Currently, she resides in New Hartford with her husband, Ryan, daughter Kayla and son Colin, a cat, and a dog. She spends her spare time hiking and paddle-boarding, and loves to travel. She also very much enjoys teaching in the UCONN Dental School curriculum and welcomes students into the office as part of the mentoring program.

Dr. Mentasti is a member of the Hartford Dental Society and the Connecticut State Dental Association. She has a special interest in treating children and enjoys working with families. Dr. Mentasti looks forward to meeting and working with you in the future.

Dr. Sagalyn is a graduate of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and a residency program in Family Dentistry at the University of Connecticut. She has been practicing general dentistry in Avon for over thirty years. Dr. Sagalyn was an instructor at the UCONN Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) Program for fifteen years. Currently, she participates as a mentor for the dental school and invites students into the office for shadowing experiences.

Dr. Sagalyn resides in West Hartford with her husband, David Marks, and enjoys skiing, golf, and gardening in her spare time.

Dr. Weston recently joined our practice. She is an excellent addition to our staff, bringing warmth, excitement, knowledge, and new energy to our practice.

Sam is a graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine. She has a passion for general dentistry with a special focus on restorative and esthetic procedures. During dental school, Dr. Weston participated in a service trip to the Galapagos Islands where she helped provide much needed dental care to the residents of Isabela Island. She looks forward to participating in more service trips as her career continues. Upon graduation, Dr. Weston received the Academy of General Dentistry’s Senior Student Dental Award, as well as recognition by the American Academy of Implant Dentistry for excellence in implant dentistry. She was also awarded the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry’s Student Award of Merit.

Dr. Weston was raised in Farmington with her twin sister. She completed her undergraduate degree at University of Connecticut, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in biological sciences. Sam now lives in West Hartford. In her free time, Dr. Weston enjoys cooking, baking, and spending time with family and friends. She also takes every opportunity to travel, with her favorite destinations including Iceland and South Africa.

Priya is a native of West Hartford, Connecticut. She went to Hall High school and continued her undergraduate education at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania. She taught high school for two years in the Boston area, which played a key role in helping her understand the importance of educating and advocating for her patients.

Priya comes from a long line of dentists: her grandmother, aunt, and father all practiced dentistry. She decided to follow in the footsteps of her family members and pursued a career in dentistry at the University Of Connecticut School Of Dental Medicine. As a dental student, she actively pursued continuing education courses focused on technology used in dentistry today. Furthermore, due to her passion for being a lifelong learner, Priya looks forward to strengthening her skills to provide optimal care for her patients.

In her spare time, Priya enjoys spending time with her friends and family. She loves to cook, as well as discover new restaurants and cuisines in the area. Whenever she has the opportunity, Priya enjoys traveling to new places, whether it be close to home or overseas.