Reach: Hatcher’s practice benefits the under-served

Dr. James Hatcher has restructured his orthodontics practice to reach out and give a break to those who need it.

Hatcher’s practice provides full-service orthodontic care for patients from 5-78 years old. “Adolescent orthodontic care is the bread and butter of any orthodontic practice,” Hatcher said about his favorite group of patients.

His decision to change from Hatcher Orthodontics to Reach Orthodontics resulted from “a leading God has put on my heart. My practice and my family have been blessed here in Madison,” he said. “We’re thankful for wonderful friendships, patients and professional relationships; a tremendous staff with me for many years; a vibrant church to serve at Asbury United Methodist Church; and gracious plenty material things.”

Now, the practice follows the TOMS Shoes model. “We’re using something that people purchase every day – in our case, braces – and leveraging that purchase to help others,” Hatcher said. He sees a win-win situation: patients win with pretty smiles and good bites while people in need win from contributions that the practice generates. The new name, Reach, shows his ultimate goal. The practice’s tagline is “Straighten Up. Reach Out.” “The more we can ‘straighten up,’ the more we can ‘reach out,'” Hatcher said.

After expenses for the practice are paid, nonprofit agencies then can apply for grants from the practice’s proceeds.

“I got braces in sixth grade for really spaced and bucked teeth. Without correction of my bucked teeth, I wouldn’t have known about the field of orthodontics nor had the confidence to pursue it as a profession,” Hatcher said. “I can see now how God has led my path from being a buck-toothed kid in sixth grade to this point of my life where I can honor Him in this season of giving back … Looking back, Susan and I have had a great life, and the practice has been successful. Looking forward, I am reminded the Bible talks about: ‘To those who much is given, much is expected.”

Hatcher said his goal for giving is at least $1,000,000 in five years. “This is a God-sized goal but also the beauty of the concept,” Hatcher said. “Just as TOMS Shoes can give away more shoes the more shoes they sell, Reach can provide more grants the more patients we see.”

Currently, he is establishing “Reach Partner” agencies that work with children and families. He wants to help with dental care, students’ orthodontic care, orphan care, clean water, food issues and community development.

Hatcher has selected five Reach Partners: Community Free Dental Clinic, providing care for low-income, uninsured adults; Smiles Change Lives, in which volunteer orthodontists treat under-served teens; Manna House, offering weekly food distribution and weekend food backpacks; His Hands Mission International, providing water filters to village church leaders in Honduras’ Copan region; and Lifeline Children’s Services (un)adopted Program, which provides life/job training for orphans who age out of care.

After earning a bachelor’s degree at the University of Alabama, Hatcher graduated from the UA School of Dentistry at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He completed orthodontic school at Baylor College of Dentistry.

Hatcher Orthodontics’ first office with 500 square feet opened in July 1990 in Miller Plaza. In July 1999, he moved the practice to 581 Hughes Road.

His wife Susan Hatcher directs Asbury’s CHRIST Choir and volunteers teaching English as a second language. Their son Will serves as sound director at Calvary Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, Tenn., and works at Tennessee Awnings. Son Steven works at Disney World in Orlando. Daughter Emily is a sophomore at Mississippi State University.

For more information, call 256-772-0041, email info@reachortho.com or visit reachortho.com or Facebook/Reach Orthodontics.