Dr. Lia Gallo-Urrego loves what she does every day; helping people smile. For over 25 years of transforming people’s smiles, she says it’s really her life that has been most affected and her heart that has been touched. The transformation she sees in her patients is not only physical, but emotional as well, as they walk taller, smile wider, and live life a little bit happier. Dr. Gallo-Urrego prides herself in the community she has established with her patients. They trust her, and this makes all the difference in an ideal doctor-patient scenario.
With a true love for the work she does and the people she encounters, Dr. Gallo-Urrego volunteers much of her time giving back. As a member of Free Chapel she heard about her church’s program for men and women recuperating from drug addiction, No Longer Bound and New Beginnings, and decided these men and women deserve another chance at a better life. She began giving total reconstruction of their mouths, free of charge.
"Getting to be a part of something so monumental and such a beautiful change in someone’s life towards a better future is what makes me proud to be a doctor and thankful for the work I get to do every day."
Dr. Gallo-Urrego is also a volunteer for the Good News Clinic, where she treats patients for free, that could otherwise not afford treatment themselves.
Dr. Gallo-Urrego enjoys spending time with her husband Harvin, and her daughters, Camila and Valentina. She enjoys traveling and loves to dance.
Dr. Juan C. Cruz is the newest addition to the GDC Smiles family as our Associate Dentist. He was born and raised in Colombia, South America where he first fell in love with the field of dentistry. There is something about seeing the joy in a patient’s eyes after giving them a smile they can be proud of, that fills Dr. Cruz with pride and genuine fulfillment in his work and career. He enjoys the challenge of transforming the many smiles that come through our office. You can easily find Dr. Cruz chatting with his patients about life, cracking jokes, and being intentional with his time answering their questions and easing away their concerns.
Dr. Cruz was awarded the American College of Dentists Award by virtue of Ethics, Scholarship, Patient Care and Professional Behavior.
Outside of the office Dr. Cruz has a passion for serving his community with his talents and profession. Dr. Cruz has volunteered his time providing free dental treatment for children, Latino Americans, and poverty-stricken families through various organizations such as SOS Clinic, Clinica Latina, and Dentistry from the Heart. He has also given his time and expertise through teaching opportunities with the Medical College of Georgia as an adjunct instructor.
In his free time, Dr. Cruz enjoys exploring his new home of Gainesville, Georgia with his wife and 15-year-old son. He loves the outdoors, and if he’s not in the office you can find him traveling, reading, biking and hiking in the North Georgia Mountains.
Originally from South Korea, Dr. Jeoung grew up in Georgia and considered GA his hometown. After practicing dentistry in South Carolina, he decided it was time to come back home and serve his home state community and joined the GDC Smiles team as an Associate Dentist. Dr. Jeoung's mission is to provide excellent care to his patients and wants to make an impact on their health and well-being. Dr. Jeoung enjoys watching his favorite GA sports teams play - especially UGA and the Atlanta Falcons.
In his free time, he loves spending time with his newborn baby boy!
