Elies studied dentistry at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen and health sciences at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. In addition to her work as a dentist, she now also participates as a researcher in the AIMS-study.

Her interest lies in the major health inequalities that still exist in the Netherlands between different population groups. With regards to dental health in children, this manifests as a very large group reaching the age of 18 caries-free, and on the other hand as a much smaller group that suffers relatively greatly as a result of caries at a young age. It appears that prevention of dental caries is more effective when it takes place before the first dental visit and also outside the dental practice.