Smile For A Lifetime San Antonio Awards First Orthodontic Scholarships to 16-year-olds Jazmyne Garza and Maricela Martinez

    SAN ANTONIO, TX, November 03, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ -- 16-year-old San Antonio students Jazmyne Garza and Maricela Martinez have a whole lot to smile about. Recently both girls were chosen to be the first recipients of Smile for a Lifetime scholarships covering full orthodontic care.

Says Dr. Robert (Tito) Norris: "Every day, I see firsthand how orthodontia is more than just a beautiful smile. At Stone Oak Orthodontics, we change lives, create winners, build confidence, offer hope, provide life-long self assurance and are a catalyst to making our patient's dreams come true."

Dr. Norris is always eager and willing to give back to his community. Earlier this year, he created the San Antonio chapter of Smile for a Lifetime to provide braces at no cost to underserved youth in the San Antonio area.

"The mission of Smile for a Lifetime San Antonio is to change the lives of youth in our community," Dr. Norris explains. "The gift of a smile can easily do that for deserving, underserved adolescents who, in turn, will use this gift to better themselves and our community," added Dr. Norris.

At individual heartfelt receptions, surrounded by family, both Jazmyne and Maricela were overjoyed to find out they had been selected to receive a full orthodontic scholarship. They were surprised with the news by Dr. Norris himself, along with Smile for a Lifetime board members and Stone Oak Orthodontics staff.

"I am a happy person, but you will never see me smile because I am embarrassed [by my teeth]," said 16-year-old Jazmyne, sophomore at Texas Virtual Academy High School. "I always hoped that when I entered college, I'd be prepared and ready, and that included my teeth. Having a beautiful smile would make me more confident in my life. This would lead me to better job opportunities."

"I'm tired of looking in the mirror and wishing if I could change anything about myself it would be my smile," said 16-year-old Maricela. "I wanted braces because my smile makes me feel sad, upset, angry and sometimes ugly."

"Having the opportunity to change the lives of the both Jazmyne and Maricela in such a dramatic way is what this program is all about," said Dr. Norris.

Both girls will be given the best in orthodontic treatment, including leading-edge technology and innovation, all covered by their full orthodontic scholarship from Dr. Norris and Stone Oak Orthodontics. Jazmyne will begin treatment on October 22nd. Maricela will get her braces October 31st.

Smile for a Lifetime San Antonio is currently accepting applications and awards a minimum of six orthodontic scholarships annually.

For more information about Smile for a Lifetime or to nominate a candidate for scholarship, visit Smile For A Lifetime San Antonio.

As South Texas' premier orthodontics practice, Stone Oak Orthodontics www.stoneoakortho.com has been providing leading-edge orthodontic treatment since 1998. Dr Norris is a diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics and has been a Clinical Associate Professor at the UT Health Science Center. Dr Norris is a published medical author and has lectured throughout the United States and Asia. Dr Norris is a Certified Invisalign provider www.invisalign.com being one of the original providers, as well as one of the original providers of the Damon System www.damonbraces.com. In addition, Dr Norris proudly provides In-Ovation www.gacinovation.com and Suresmile www.suresmile.com.

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