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What is Gift of a Smile Heroes?

GSO’s Gift of a Smile Heroes initiative was created to recognize heroes of all types in the Atlanta metro communities by giving them free braces or Invisalign® treatment. A Hero can be a working mother, an essential worker, or a poll volunteer. And we cannot forget about our teachers, frontline workers and first responders. Heroes are nominated by individuals in their communities by completing a nomination form below. To celebrate the launch of the program, GSO awarded four adult heroes with complimentary orthodontic care and continues the program by selecting one hero recipient each quarter.

Since opening in 2016 GSO has provided over $150,000 in complimentary orthodontic care through Purple Heart Smiles, Gift of a Smile and now Gift of a Smile Heroes. We can’t wait to hear about your local hero, and the amazing impact they have had on our communities! Submit your Hero’s nomination by September 15 for our next quarterly contest winner to be announced September 30.

Congratulations 2021 Gift of a Smile Heroes Contest Winners!

Click on the Winners’ Photo Below to Read Their Hero Stories

Thank you to all who nominated a deserving adult as we received an outpour of nominations and heartfelt stories.


Congratulations Quarterly June Winner
Sergeant John Rader
Douglasville, GA

Sergeant Rader has dedicated his life to serving his community and country. Born to two blind parents, he has spent countless hours volunteering with the blind community in Covington, Kentucky. He then joined the National Guard to continue his life of service, and served for thirteen years with two overseas deployments. In March of 2020, he was called upon to help our country fight the COVID-19 pandemic by serving on the Army’s COVID-19 task force. During his time on the task force, his unit’s tasks included disinfecting nursing homes, administering Covid-19 tests, and setting up and running testing sites. Despite his devotion to others, he has already felt insecure about his smile. His wife Erin explains, “Johnny lights up every room he enters, but he rarely smiles with an open mouth because he’s ashamed of his teeth. He has the most beautiful heart of anyone I have ever met. He just needs the beautiful smile to go with it.”

Meet Our March 2021 Winners!

Tony Hughes

Romaldo “Tony” Hughes – Tony is a Dekalb County police officer who lives in Ellenwood. Not only has he served as a police officer for over twenty years, but he also supports his community. Tony has spent his free time and personal money mentoring youth and providing life coaching for adults. In addition, he has had to postpone his orthodontic treatment to fund his daughter’s college education. Tony is excited for his new smile, which he says will enhance his self-esteem as he remains on the front lines serving his community.

Kathryn Hanson

Kathryn Hanson – Kathryn, who resides in Buford, has spent the majority of her child and adult life caring for others. She served as her mother’s caretaker from the age of fifteen, sacrificing her young adult life to support her family. Her life is about giving back to her community – she has cared for and tutored young children, serves as her church’s soprano singer, and volunteers are various community organizations. She currently runs her own delivery business and is working on her bookkeeping certification. She has been self-concious about her smile since youth, and her friends who nominated her believe that the gift of a new smile will be an amazing asset to her.

Isabel Nogues

Isabel Nogues – Isabel, who lives in Flowery Branch, has served her community during the pandemic by working as an EKG Technician and Urgent Care Assistant. Her mother, who nominated Isabel, explains that she is a kind and compassionate person who pulls extra hours every week to help with the surge in COVID-19 cases. She was supposed to receive orthodontic treatment at the age of twelve, but financial circumstances prevented her from moving forward with her care. She is thrilled to receive the gift of a new smile from GSO.

Ashika Payne

Ashika Payne – Ashika is a teacher who resides in the East Point suburb of Atlanta. She works as a fourth-grade teacher at Gideons Elementary, and has worked with youth for over twenty-five years. Before serving as a teacher, she was Program Director at the Douglas County Boys and Girls Club. She has dedicated her life to helping her students, and is so grateful for the opportunity to have her teeth straightened.

Since opening in 2016 GSO has provided over $150,000 in complimentary orthodontic care through Purple Heart Smiles, Gift of a Smile and now Gift of a Smile Heroes. We will continue to select one new community Hero every quarter. We can’t wait to hear about your local hero, and the amazing impact they have had on our communities!

Gift of a Smile Heroes was recently featured in the AJC and Gwinnett Magazine!

Nominate Your Community Hero by September 15, 2021.
Quarterly winner will be announced on September 30, 2021.


To enter, simply upload your hero’s smile photo and share a compelling story of why you think they deserve to have a beautiful, healthy smile!

*ALL FIELDS MUST BE COMPLETED TO SUBMIT NOMINATION.



    Relationship to Nominee

    Who do you nominate?


    Is Nominee 18 years of age or older?*

    TELL US WHY THIS PERSON DESERVES TO RECEIVE A HEALTHY, STRAIGHT SMILE FROM GSO!

    UPLOAD NOMINEE’S SMILE PHOTO:


    Language:
    Location:

    Click here to view the Gift of a Smile Heroes contest rules.

    HAVE QUESTIONS FOR GSO? We are here to help you “Love Your Smile”! A confident smile is something you can share! As a top rated orthodontist in Atlanta and Duluth, GSO has special offers, paid-in-full discounts and flexible payment options so that you can get your affordable braces today. Please call us at 770-659-7286 or click to schedule your free consultation.

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    Gift of a Smile Heroes 2021

    Qualifications:

    We are seeking nominations for deserving adults who meet all of the following qualifications:

    1. Would benefit from orthodontic care, but are not able to afford it
    2. Have a compelling “Hero” story
    3. Submit a smile photo
    4. Have good dental hygiene (as certified by the applicant’s general dentist)
    5. Have no unfilled cavities
    6. Not be wearing braces currently
    7. Must be a Georgia resident and live in the Atlanta metro area
    8. Must be eighteen years of age or older
    9. No purchase necessary to enter

    We will review the nominations and contact you if you are a finalist.

    Terms and Conditions:
    1. One (1) recipient will not be selected at random or by chance
    2. Entries close at midnight EST on September 15, 2021
    3. Four (4) finalists must be available to participate in a virtual consultation, September 20-22, 2021
    4. Recipients will be announced on September 30, 2021
    5. By entering you agree to join the Georgia School of Orthodontics’ mailing, e-mail, and text marketing lists
    6. Must be eighteen years of age or older to nominate individuals