See the full issue of the May 400 Life magazine here.

Bri Daniels wishes she could spend all her time volunteering in the community.

“I always joke around, if I didn’t have to have a job, I could commit my whole life to volunteering and serving,” she said.

Alas, she does have a job, as the practice administrator for Hiser Orthodontics, one that she’s had since 2003 after moving from her native Oregon.

But the volunteering isn’t something Daniels just does on the side — it’s an integral part of her job at Hiser. 

Daniels long ago got the greenlight from Dr. Doug Hiser to devote as much time volunteering in the community as she wanted. Daniels took the opportunity and ran with it. She’s served in the children’s ministry at Mountain Lake Church; coached her two kids in sports; mentored sixth- and seventh-graders in Forsyth County middle schools; delivered food for Meals by Grace, a local nonprofit organization that provides food assistance to those in need; joined the Rotary Club of South Forsyth County; and participated in mission trips to Nicaragua.

“That’s my happy place,” Daniels said. “That’s what brings me joy in life — other than my family, of course.”

Daniels talked with 400 LIFE about moving across the country, camping at Disney World and how giving back infuses the culture at Hiser Orthodontics.

Why did you move from Oregon to Georgia?

“My best friend’s family moved out here in 2000. While I was in college, I came out here for the summers to nanny. It was like the best college job ever. I sat by the pool every day and watched kids. I did that for two or three summers, and I just fell in love with it here. My whole family is out West, and that part’s hard, but I never knew there could be sunshine nine months out of the year. Sunshine in the northwest where I’m from is about three months: June, July and August. The rest of the time is just kind of rainy and cloudy. I love it out here.”

What’s your family’s favorite vacation spot?

“Fort Wilderness at Disney. We take our camper there. It’s amazing, and it is a lot cheaper. We pay $60 a night, instead of $350. It’s a park, but it’s just across the water from Magic Kingdom, so you just catch the boat to Magic Kingdom. They still have stuff at night, and the characters walk around. There are fun attractions in the park, too, like Mickey’s Backyard BBQ.” 

What’s it been like helping Meals by Grace during the COVID-19 pandemic?

“After the pandemic hit Forsyth County, their numbers skyrocketed. We try to interact with the families and ask them how they’re doing, are there any other needs they’re having, but there’s not a ton of interaction, especially recently. We’re trying to practice social distancing as much as possible. But I want to make sure that we’re here for them.”

Did you always want to work in the medical field?

“Originally I was going to college in Oregon to be a teacher. I ended up doing general studies because I found out I have a learning disability. 

“My brother is a dentist out in the northwest, so when I moved out here, I went to Lanier Technical College and got my dental assistant degree. We had to get 60 observation hours, and I was an intern with Dr. Hiser for that program. He hired me right out of school. 

“Dr. Hiser is an amazing person to work for. Over the years we’ve become like family. We both have a unique servant’s heart. He loves that I have a heart for the community, and he values that. We mesh there.”

What makes Hiser Orthodontics unique?

“Not everyone has a heart to serve or a heart for people, but as for Hiser Orthodontics, it comes from the top, and that’s Dr. Hiser’s heart as well. I think that’s why the two of us work so well together. 

“He always preaches to our staff: you don’t know what these kids have been through that day, we just have to make sure that we love on them when they come through our doors.

“And it trickles down to our staff. We have the most amazing staff, and they treat our patients the exact same way. At Hiser Orthodontics, we hire people for their heart. We don’t hire them for their skills. We can teach them anything. We just want people that are going to love on our patients.”

To find out more about Hiser Orthodontics, click here.

If you would like to learn more about Meals By Grace, click here.

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