Donating Smiles, Meals

Brilliant Smiles positively affects thousands of students each year

Building confidence, providing radiant smiles and making orthodontics an enjoyable experience for families who visit Brilliant Smiles Orthodontics sounds like a mouthful, but these are only a few goals of owner Dr. Romia Goff. 

Dr. Goff and the Brilliant Smiles team are continuously looking for ways to enhance the lives of Brevard County's youth. 

"It is important to continuously play a part in enriching the lives of others. There are a lot of children and families in need,” Dr. Goff said. “Building self confidence through improving smiles, supporting schools, or personal efforts... if there is a way we can give back and help another in need, we're going to try our best to do it." 

Dr. Goff is a Partners in Education member with Brevard Public Schools. His community efforts, and school support earned him the PIE Business Partner of the Year award in 2017. His continued efforts resulted in him being inducted into the BPS Hall of Fame after only two years of participation. 

"Being recognized as the business partner of the year was one of Linda Carlson's, my past office manager, and my proudest moments. We were both elated to have our efforts recognized," Dr. Goff said. 

Through Brilliant Smiles, Dr. Goff has formed an organization that gives back to local students and their schools. Brilliant Smiles Kidz Klozet Inc. provides dental hygiene instruction, meals during the holidays and clothing to local students in need. 

Perhaps the most iconic member of Dr. Goff’s team is Brilliant Smiles’ ambassador, Violette the Tooth Fairy. She travels to elementary schools throughout the county giving the students complimentary dental hygiene supplies including toothbrushes, toothpaste and dental floss. Violette's main role is to educate students on how to keep their teeth, gums and smiles healthy.  

Stacey Nemetz, who volunteers her time to coordinate the tooth fairy's schedule, reports that during the 2018-2019 school year, Violette visited 4,200 students at 25 Brevard elementary schools.

“Violette is a fun way to show kids the importance of dental health, and they are always excited to see her arrive,” Nemetz said. The tooth fairy has her very own special place where she keeps literally hundreds of thank you notes, cards and pictures.

During the holiday season, Kidz Klozet expands its reach outside of the school walls — to the dinner tables of local families. The Brilliant Smiles Holiday Meals Program is heading into its fifth year of providing food to hundreds of local families each year, with timing during the week of Christmas. 

Linda Carlson and Dr. Goff developed the program after learning that over 30,000 students are eligible for free lunch programs in Brevard’s public schools. These children often do not have access to healthy meals over weekends and holiday breaks. Knowing this, they put together a plan to provide meals to as many students and their families as possible. While initially provided by Dr. Goff’s own donations, the Holiday Meals Program now has the support of other businesses and families. 

Nemetz also heads up the Holiday Meals Program and coordinates the food, the schools and the amount of meals needed for families. The Brilliant Smiles team, along with volunteers from partner schools, sort the food into individual meals on one day and then take them to the schools, where they are distributed within 24 hours. The families who receive meals remain anonymous to the Brilliant Smiles and volunteer teams. 

“Dr. Goff has supported the holiday meals program that is packed and distributed at DeLaura Middle School,” said Amy Evans, assistant principal at DeLaura, where the meals are packaged each year. “Not only do the receiving families benefit, but the students at DeLaura help unload and unpack the boxes and then help to pack up the meals. The students have a sense of ownership and it makes them feel good about helping others.”

In 2018, the Brilliant Smiles Kidz Klozet provided dinners to 23 Brevard county schools, a record amount, giving away more than 550 meals to families and students in need. An estimated 3,800 individuals were fed through the program.

This holiday season, Dr. Goff and his team have a goal to provide 650 meals through the program, which will feed 4,550 people. It should be noted that all money donated to the holiday meals program goes directly toward providing the food and supplies needed to transport and bag the meals. No one is compensated, meaning 100% of the donations go to the families.

Throughout the year, Kidz Klozet collects donated clothes for students who may otherwise go without. Each of the five Brilliant Smiles locations serve as drop-off points for people to donate gently worn clothes. New undergarments, socks, and hygiene products are also accepted. Staff and volunteers organize the donated items and they give them to the Brevard County Schools. Last year, Kidz Klozet collected and donated 571 articles of clothing and 28 pairs of shoes to Brevard children.

Another way Dr. Goff supports his community is with the "big prize wheel.” The spin-the-wheel game is brought to open house events and the students have an opportunity to spin the wheel for money that Goff  donates to the school's discretionary fundraising account. 

Michelle Provine-Sterner, practice manager for Brilliant Smiles, says one of the enjoyable parts of her job is going to open house events and encouraging students to spin the wheel. "It's a fun and interactive way students can get involved with raising money for their school."  

Kids who participate have their names put into a drawing for various gifts ranging from gifts cards to headphones. 

"We specialize in straightening teeth, but our purpose in the community is much greater than that,” Provine-Sterner said. “Brilliant Smiles is a platform that allows us to be creative and innovative with ways to help our community."

To learn more or donate, visit:

Brilliantsmilesorthodontics.com

FACEBOOK: /brilliantsmileskidzklozet

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