Dr. AJ Ortega (in blue) presents a check to essay contest winner Alexis Saldana, with the White Rock Orthodontics team.
White Rock Orthodontics has always been interested in students’ smiles, but this year, Dr. A.J. Ortega decided to help teens access education as well.
“We launched our first ever scholarship essay contest,” says Emily Page, who works with the orthodontist.
The staff contacted all patients, past and present, and invited them to pen a piece on the theme, “How orthodontics changed my life.” The winning essay was written by Alexis Saldana, 17, who is heading to University of Texas at Austin this fall.
“The one that won was all about confidence. She wasn’t confident in her smile before [braces],” Page says. “The smile is the first thing people notice.”
As the winner, Saldana received a $1,000 to spend on books and other school expenses, which was presented at the office in the form of an over-sized check. Each of the seven other participants also got $100 to put toward their education.
“It’s something [Dr. Ortega] plans to do with his patients every year,” Page says.
