I feel blessed and grateful to be an orthodontist. My profession allows me to be involved in a process that can truly change people's lives, and that is very exciting to me. Sometimes, a person who has always been shy or embarrassed by their appearance will blossom into a confident, self-assured person as their smile changes during orthodontic treatment. It's an amazing thing to be a part of, and I love it!

Our patients are some of the coolest and most interesting people I know! I love coming to work everyday because I get to spend time with them and learn what's going on in their lives. I am constantly wowed by how talented and involved our patients are. We become friends during the time we spend together, and to me, that's one of the best things about being an orthodontist.

I went to college at Wake Forest University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature in 1999. After college, I began my professional education at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry in Chapel Hill. Dental school was a great experience for me, and I was valedictorian of my dental school class, graduating with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 2003. I continued on at UNC as a resident in the Department of Orthodontics and earned a Master of Science degree in Orthodontics in 2006. Despite all of my time in Chapel Hill, I am still a big Wake Forest fan, and I always pull for the Demon Deacons to beat the Tar Heels!

Dr Hamilton and I believe that participating in continuing education is vital to our development as practitioners and enables us to provide our patients with the most sophisticated and appropriate treatment to meet their orthodontic goals. I am a member of the Western Piedmont Dental Society, Foothills Dental Continuum, University of North Carolina Orthodontic Alumni Association, North Carolina Association of Orthodontists, Southern Association of Orthodontists, and the American Association of Orthodontics.  Additionally, I am a diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics. All of these organizations provide continuing education courses that help us to keep up with the most current technologies and techniques in dentistry and orthodontics.

I grew up in Fairmont, North Carolina, which is in the southeast part of the state about an hour from the beach. My wife Kristin and I moved to Hickory from Chapel Hill in the summer of 2006. Kristin and I met in dental school. She is a dentist and practices at Viewmont Family Dentistry in Hickory. Our son, Joshua Caleb Herring was born in March of 2009. I love to play golf, ride my mountain bike, and snow ski. I also enjoy camping and fly fishing. Lately, my number one non-work activity has been fatherhood. Chasing Josh around is my newest form of recreation.

I am a member of Viewmont Baptist Church, where I sing in the choir, teach Sunday School, and serve on a number of committees. I am involved with several charitable events and organizations in Hickory, including Brett's Ride, Girls on the Run of the Catawba Valley, the Hickory Foundation YMCA Children's Fund and CO Miller Teen Center, and Young Life.