Dr. Vargo has a personal, ongoing commitment to education and the community.
Giving back to our community started with the opening of our doors in 1996. The sustainability of these efforts has been entirely due to the patients who joined our practice. We are proud to share that these practices have never affected our patient fees; Dr. Vargo’s tithe is a personal contribution and commitment as an expression of gratitude in support of his community.
#VOGoBeetheHero
#VOGoBeetheHero is a new charity created by Dr. Vargo helping children in the Floyd/Gordon County area gain confidence through beautiful and life-changing smiles. Qualifying applicants will be provided with orthodontic treatment through our partnership with Smiles Change Lives, a 501(c)(3).
#VOGoBeetheHero encourages Vargo Orthodontics’ patients to “bee the hero” by giving back to other children in the community. Just like bees cross-pollinate and work together, we have seen the power of children helping one another through our current Partners in Education Program, where patients K-12 are given the opportunity to tithe $50 to their school, church, charity, or program of choice.
To coincide with our charity, world-renowned street artist, Kelsey Montague has created Rome’s first mural in the Historic District. Our bee wing mural celebrates Rome’s heritage with the historic clocktower, several honey bees, a rainbow, a sunflower, and a smiley face hidden throughout the mural. We welcome anyone to come enjoy it. The mural is located at 415 East Second Ave. right next to Vargo Orthodontics.
Vargo Orthodontics accepts donations to supplement the cost of braces for children in our community who otherwise could not afford treatment. All donations are used to provide the highest quality of orthodontic treatment to the recipients. School administration in Floyd/Gordon County will help us identify children who would best fit this opportunity.
Any donation is welcomed and will make a difference. As a token of gratitude, those who donate $25 or more will get to adopt a Vargo bumble bee. This adorable stuffed bee comes with an adoption certificate, a thank you card and a sticker.
To donate or learn more, please visit www.smileschangelives.org.
Vargo Valet
We are pleased to announce that the Vargo Valet Shuttle Service is available to pick up and drop off our patients in style from participating schools. The Vargo Valet is a personal tithe by Dr. Vargo to keep kids in school and parents at work.
Dr. Vargo recognizes the sacrifice that today’s working parents make when they take time off work to bring their child to an appointment; additionally, he realizes the sacrifice of the children since they are typically checked out of school for the rest of the day.
We guarantee your son or daughter misses no more school than absolutely necessary. Our practice is dedicated to excellent customer service, which is why we provide this complimentary service for our patients!
Partners in Education
When our patients start treatment, they are given the opportunity to tithe $50.00 to their school or the school program of their choice. To date, funds donated exceed $34,000.00.
Our Partners in Education Program has been in the foundation of our practice, as it is a sustainable, ongoing partnership we are proud to promote. If you participate in extracurricular activities, you will be able to designate where you would like your donation to go, whether your sports team, art department, or the school band!
We recognize that all schools and extracurricular programs have faced budget cuts, and we want to give back to the community we serve. Together, we can made a difference, one smile at a time!
Math is FUN! Legos for Johnson Elementary
Local Schools
In addition to encouraging our patients to get involved in their schools, Dr. Vargo sponsors “Smart Smiles” Visiting Educator program, which goes into local classrooms and aims to educate students on the importance of oral health, and equip them with the skills necessary to develop healthy habits through interactive learning. Our STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) video is able to support educators with all their online teaching needs and how it’s directly related to the field of orthodontics. We also enjoy coming directly to the schools for an interactive presentation for schools and their STEM Program. Dr. Vargo also directly supports local school bands, sports teams, and yearbooks, etc. Vargo Orthodontics provides mouthguard clinics to school sports departments.
Dr. Vargo’s STEM Project video
Rome High Football Game 2024
Local Organizations
Dr. Vargo is committed to the local community and has demonstrated his dedication by sponsoring a multitude of non-profit organizations, including the following:
- Exchange Club Family Resource Center
- Sexual Assault Center of Northwest Georgia
- Summit Quest
- Living Proof Recovery
- William Davies Shelter
- Open Door Children’s Home
- Cheerful Givers
- Habitat for Humanity
- Local churches
- And more!
It is a pleasure to be able to support various organizations and projects which are making such a difference in our community. We receive a large number of donation requests, and because we understand that the need is great, each one is reviewed by our Allocations Committee.
In order to submit your information for funding consideration, or for other inquiries about our outreach programs, please contact our Outreach Team at community@vargosmile.com.
2018 Strike Out Against Child Abuse Event Sponsors
Mystery Reader Series
In partnership with our local schools, I’ll be publishing a “Mystery Read” every week. Tune in and enjoy a bit of reading with me! See everything I’ve read so far below.