Smiles That Change Lives

Brittany Westerman is dedicated to fostering confidence, perseverance, and a commitment to giving back within her home community.

Words by Jenny Lynn Davis | Images by Justin Hunter

When Brittany Westerman looks back on her childhood, she remembers a girl who hid behind a closed-mouth grin. “I had a big gap in my teeth, and I was so insecure about it,” she says. “I rarely smiled, or if I did, it was with my mouth closed. My older sister used to tease me and call me ‘Lizzy,’ short for lizard.”

That insecurity shaped her personality. She grew quiet, reserved, and cautious. But when she got braces in middle school and later whitened her teeth, the transformation went far beyond appearance. “Everything changed,” she recalls. “I became more outgoing, approachable, and confident. That’s what sparked my love for cosmetic dentistry. It’s instantly gratifying. When patients come in after years of hiding their smile and leave crying tears of joy, being part of that life-changing transformation is amazing.”

Even as a teenager, Brittany wrote in yearbooks that she wanted to be a dentist or orthodontist. At the University of Georgia, she began her studies undecided but was drawn to challenging science courses. “I didn’t think I could pass them,” she says. “But I worked harder than most people and ended up doing well. That gave me confidence.”

Still, her path to dental school wasn’t direct. She wasn’t accepted the first time she applied. “That was crushing,” she admits. “People asked what I was going to do, and I said, ‘I’m going to try again.’” The setback strained her relationship with her father. “He told me it was too expensive to keep applying and that I needed to consider another career. We didn’t talk for months.”

During that time, she joined City Year in Los Angeles, a yearlong AmeriCorps program working with underserved eighth graders. “Though most of them came from loving families, their parents were often working multiple jobs to make ends meet, and as a result, they grew up fast,” she says. “It softened my heart and showed me the importance of giving back.”

While in Los Angeles, she got the call: she had been accepted to dental school. She and her father reconnected, and she carried forward the lesson that perseverance pays off. “Sometimes the people you expect to back you don’t think you can do it, but you push through anyway,” she says.

Mentors also shaped her career. She remembers Dr. Satterfield, an oral surgeon in Athens, Georgia, who ran a free clinic. “He taught me to always give back,” she says. Later, during her residency at the Birmingham VA, she worked under Dr. Ryles, who turned a once-laid-back program into a rigorous training ground. “He pushed me hard, sometimes to tears,” she says, “but because of him, I’m comfortable doing advanced procedures like implants, cosmetic cases, and difficult root canals.”

Her years working in Florence, Alabama, deepened her commitment to service. Every Friday, she volunteered at a community clinic where patients could receive dental care, insulin, or medical supplies they couldn’t afford elsewhere. “Most dentists don’t want to give up Fridays, especially for free,” she says. “But it mattered to me. Pulling teeth isn’t fun, but I’m good at it, and it can change someone’s life.”

She also launched an annual Smile Makeover Giveaway. One winner, a shy young woman born without several teeth, still stands out. “She was 25 but looked 14, and she avoided smiling,” Brittany says. After her makeover, the young woman gained confidence, started dating, got married, and now has a family. “Watching her life change was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career,” she says.

After nearly a decade in Florence, Brittany and her husband moved back to Jasper to raise their children closer to family. For now, life revolves around her three little ones—Holt, Hendrik, and Hattie—and the practice she shares with Dr. Jacob Bivona. This fall, the office will officially become Bivona & Westerman Dental. “It feels special to have my name on a building in my hometown,” she says.

While her current priority is balancing family and work, she dreams of one day starting a free clinic in Jasper. “The field is becoming more corporate, but my goal is to keep that out of our office,” she says. “I want patients to feel cared for and valued, not rushed in and out. If you take care of people, the rest takes care of itself.”

For a woman once shaped by insecurity, Brittany Westerman knows the power of a confident smile. Asked what she would tell her 15-year-old self, she doesn’t hesitate: “Don’t waste time doubting yourself. You’re capable of anything you set your mind to. That’s a message every teenage girl, and every patient hiding their smile, needs to hear.” 78