It’s a dream come true to love what you do. To wake up with a smile, looking forward to your day’s work. Dr. Fabiola Ortega is living this dream, making a difference in children’s lives and their health every day.
Born in Managua, Nicaragua, Dr. Ortega moved to Miami at a very young age. She grew up in the lively culture of South Florida and became intrigued with human behavior. When she reached college, she studied criminology. It seemed like the perfect balance between studying human behavior and science, yet she ultimately realized it excluded another passion of hers: working with kids.
So, after graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminology with a minor in Public Health from the University of South Florida Tampa, Dr. Ortega decided to go in a new direction. She realized that the combination of children’s behavior and science was the true perfect fit, and went on to earn her Doctorate of Dental Surgery at Howard University (earning several distinction awards along the way). Since then, she has been enjoying a fulfilling career as a pediatric dentist.
“I truly love my profession,” Dr. Ortega says. “I feel that everyone in life is looking for that genuinely fulfilling career, and I am fortunate to have found mine.”
Dr. Ortega established her practice, Elite Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, in Homestead, where she plays a crucial role in shaping children’s attitudes toward oral health. However, Homestead is not the only location where she fills that role.
For more than a year, Dr. Ortega and her team have been traveling to Key Largo to provide much-needed dental healthcare to kids in the Keys. She works alongside Dr. Maya at Overseas Dental two times a month on Thursdays, and it has given her a new perspective.
“I have met so many wonderful families that have welcomed me with open arms,” Dr. Ortega shares. “Their laid-back island lifestyle promotes relaxation, stress relief, and a slower pace of life, and I am so grateful to learn that from them!”
Dr. Ortega often visits the Keys with her partner and son. They love trying new food, attending festivals and events, and embracing the laidback island lifestyle. They take that calm, grounded feeling back home and always look forward to the next visit. Sometimes, they even bring along their two dogs, Frankie and Toby, but their two yellow-belly turtles stay home.
Even when coming to the Keys for work, Dr. Ortega never tires of the beautiful drive. She is glad that she is the one making the drive rather than parents having to take their kids to the mainland for treatment.
Out of the Overseas Dental Office in Key Largo, Dr. Ortega provides both primary and comprehensive, preventative, and therapeutic oral health care for infants and children through adolescence, including those with special healthcare needs. She specializes in special needs, behavioral management, and cosmetic dentistry in children.
“I love building relationships with the families, interacting with the children, getting to know them on a personal level, and helping them feel comfortable at their dental visits.”
Making kids smile is Dr. Ortega’s passion and her purpose, which she has extended beyond her office. She has volunteered at the Special Olympics, Give Kids a Smile Day, and participated in dental missions to Guatemala.
And now, she wants to make your Keys kid smile. Dr. Ortega is accepting new patients at Elite Smiles to be seen locally at the Overseas Dental office at 103400 Overseas Hwy #234, Key Largo, and her Homestead office at 18240 SW 147th Ave., Miami. To schedule a visit, call (305) 570-1833.
–Jerrica Mah is a writer, Army wife, and freelance book editor, who loves to travel with her family
