Dr. Hammond grew up in the mountains of southwest Virginia. He graduated with honors from Washington and Lee University, and attended Columbia University to obtain his undergraduate dental degree with honors. He completed his residency in the Department of Orthodontic at Columbia University. During his residency, he was involved in cleft lip and palate research and earned a masters degree studying functional anatomy.

Dr. Hammond currently serves as President of the Virginia Association of Orthodontists. Dr. Hammond believes in giving back to the community, so he volunteers his time forcommunity service activities.

Dr. Hammond is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics. He is also an active member of the American Dental Association, American Association of Orthodontists, College of Diplomats of the American Board of Orthodontics, and Omicron Kappa Alpha dental honor society.

Kim and Brittanyare your first contactswith our office. They will help you with scheduling, financial, and insurance questions. Kim and Brittanyare also patient coordinators who will explain and manage your treatment

Kay, Tammy and Katie are highly skilled clinicians who assist Dr. Hammond in providing excellent clinical care. They make excellent patient care their top priority and always strive to build the self-esteem of our patients

Kay has been working with Dr. Hammond since she became an Orthodontic Assistant in 1997. Kays most enjoyable part about working in the office is seeing the smiles on our patients faces when they get their braces off. It really brightens her day to see the joy it brings patients to get their braces off! When Kay isnt at the office, she enjoys spending time with her 5 grandbabies and camping. She loves visiting Gatlinburg and being in the Great Smokey Mountains!

Tammy has been working with Dr. Hammond since 1998 as an Orthodontic Assistant. Her favorite part about working in the office has been all of the people she has encountered and all the great smiles! When Tammy isnt working, she most enjoys doing crochet, Macrame, sewing and spending time with her family!

Kim has been part of our team since 2000 where she has gained experience working in all parts of the office! She most enjoys watching our patients gain self-confidence throughout treatment and seeing them start to smile. When Kim isnt at the office she enjoys cooking, baking, decorating and playing with her Grandsons!

Brittany has been part of our team since 2019 where she has been a great asset. Brittany doubles as our Treatment Coordinator and a Clinical Assistant. Brittany is the first person you will meet at our office! Her favorite part about working at our office has been seeing and learning all of the cool things in the mouth. Outside of work, Brittany enjoys crystals, being outside and playing with her 3 kids.

Katie has been part of our team since 2018 part time while attending James Madison University, and joined our team full time in 2021 after graduation. She has gained experience in both the clinical and font office setting. She has most enjoyed getting to know the patients and watching them grow from the start of their treatment to the end. When Katie isnt working, she enjoys crafting, hunting/fishing, and spending time with her family!

Don't worry, you'll be eating popcorn and snacking on potato chips again in no time! However, before you can start enjoying some of the treats you love, you will need to take special care to avoid any foods that could damage your new appliances.

When you first get your braces, you may notice that your teeth and mouth feel a little tender or sore. This is perfectly normal and we promise your mouth will not be sore forever! To relieve the pain, we recommend dissolving one teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of lukewarm water. Swish and gargle this solution in your mouth for just a couple of minutes (do not swallow the saltwater).

If the pain is more severe and does not go away after rinsing, you can also try taking a pain reliever. It is also not uncommon for your lips, cheeks, and tongue to become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become used to the braces. We would be happy to give you some wax that you can put over the braces to lessen the tenderness. If you need some wax, please let us know.

If your teeth begin feeling a little loose, don't worry; this is normal! Your braces must first loosen your teeth to move them into the right position. Once your teeth have been repositioned, they will no longer be loose.

The wires and bands on your braces may come loose. If this happens, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can check and repair your appliance. If any piece of your appliance comes off, be sure to save it and bring it to the office with you.

You can temporarily fix the loose wire by using the back of a spoon or the eraser end of a pencil to carefully and gently push the wire back into place. If the loose wire is causing irritation to your lips or cheeks, put wax or a wet cotton ball over the broken wire to relieve the pain.

Damaged appliances can increase the length of your treatment process, so be sure to take care of all your appliances. Your teeth and jaw can only move into their correct positions if you consistently wear the rubber bands, headgear, retainer, or other appliances prescribed by your doctor.

Game, Set, Match we have great news for athletes! You can still play sports even while undergoing orthodontic treatment! If you do play sports, it's recommended that you wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth and your appliance. Letus know if you needamouthguard as we provide them for all of our patients as well as athletes in our community.

In case of a sports emergency, be sure to immediately check your mouth and appliance for damage. If you notice any loose teeth or appliance damage, please contact our office right away. You can temporarily relieve the discomfort by applying wax or rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater.