In 2025, Advanced Hearing Health of Aiken opened its doors with a mission rooted in love, legacy and the belief that everyone deserves the gift of hearing. For owner Leslie Johnston, this business is more than a professional milestone. It is a promise fulfilled.
Johnston was born and raised in Aiken, and she often jokes that Aiken raised her. The teachers, neighbors, church family and lifelong friends who surrounded her helped shape the compassionate woman she is today. Opening a business in the very community that poured so much into her life feels deeply personal. It is her way of giving back to the place that has always felt like home.
Her journey into hearing health began with a different plan. Johnston once thought she would become a speech pathologist. But while working at University Hospital, now known as Piedmont, she discovered a new calling. She watched patients hear clearly for the first time in years. She witnessed the emotion on their faces when sound returned to their worlds. She saw children with hearing deficits receive the support they needed to thrive. In those moments, she fell in love with the field of hearing health.
“I will never forget the first time I saw someone’s face light up when they realized they could hear again,” Johnston shares. “It was life changing for them, but it changed me, too. I knew then that helping people hear was what I was meant to do.”
Her mother always encouraged her to dream big and one day start her own business. The two were incredibly close, and that encouragement stayed with Johnston for years. When her mother passed away, she left her daughter the funds to finally take that leap of faith. With gratitude and determination, Johnston used that gift to establish Advanced Hearing Health of Aiken, carrying her mother’s belief with her in every step of her journey.
Advanced Hearing Health provides comprehensive hearing evaluations for patients of all ages. Johnston reports that recommendations now show adults begin routine hearing testing around age fifty, as hearing loss can gradually occur without obvious signs. After each test, she takes time to thoroughly explain the results so patients understand their specific hearing deficits. She then walks them through personalized treatment options designed to restore clarity and improve daily life.
Hearing health is about more than sound. Research shows that untreated hearing loss is connected to cognitive decline. Johnston is passionate about educating her patients on this connection and helping them take proactive steps to protect both their hearing and overall brain health. From advanced hearing aid technology to ongoing support and adjustments, she ensures every patient feels confident and cared for throughout the process.
Understanding that mobility can be a challenge for some, Johnston also offers mobile services for patients who cannot make it to the office. She accepts insurance and works diligently to make quality hearing care accessible to the Aiken community.
Each December, Johnston leads her heartfelt Gift of Hearing initiative. Through this program, she partners with the community to provide hearing evaluations and hearing aids to individuals who otherwise could not afford them. It is one of her favorite times of the year, a tangible reminder of why she began this work in the first place.
Married for 22 years, Johnston is supported by her family in every endeavor. Her daughter-in-law works alongside her in the office, creating a warm and welcoming environment for patients. Surrounded by family and community, Johnston remains deeply thankful. Serving the town that raised her is not just a career. It is a calling.
Advanced Hearing Health of Aiken is located at 237 Barnwell Avenue Northwest in Aiken, SC.
“I will never forget the first time I saw someone’s face light up when they realized they could hear again.”