A Columbia original since 2004

Meet Dr. Jernigan

Orthodontics should be more than an amazing smile. For Dr. Jernigan, it’s a chance to build relationships, share a few good stories, and make every visit worth looking forward to.

Dr. Christopher Jernigan, orthodontist in Columbia, South Carolina

20+ years of Columbia smiles

Your Orthodontist in Columbia, SC

From Superman ambitions to creating thousands of confident smiles, Dr. Jernigan’s path has never been short on personality.

Superman, X-wings & a guitar

I grew up in Gilbert, South Carolina just a few miles past Lexington high school. Like most boys growing up in the 70’s and 80’s, my lifelong ambition was to be Superman. Once I realized that overcoming gravity was unlikely to happen, I moved on to becoming an X-wing fighter pilot, and then some other things not readily attainable. I graduated in the Gilbert High School class of ‘92 where I over-achieved at rec-league basketball with my friends while learning to play guitar because of Metallica and U2.

A question that changed the route

Fast forward to college at Winthrop University, where I started as an English major as I thought myself a bit of a novelist. On a whim, my dad and I went on a trip to look at Civil War battlefields… did I mention I am a history buff? We were riding down I-95 when he asked, “whatever happened to you being an orthodontist?” I recalled my experience of having braces and enjoying how cool that was. Not to mention I kind of liked my teeth! That was pretty much it - I decided to shoot for dental school. I graduated from Winthrop with a B.S. in Biology and a fiance named Jennifer from Columbia that I met on a Halloween hayride. We got married in 1997.

Two left, three came back

I went on to dental school at MUSC and an orthodontic residency program at Vanderbilt University. Leaving Nashville, we did the ol’ “2 left, and 3 came back” maneuver as our daughter Kate came into the picture. I opened my own practice in Lake Carolina in 2004. In 2006, we welcomed our second daughter, Meredith. I would tell you about my hobbies like everyone else does, but everyone likes spending time with their families and dogs. Same here. I look forward to sharing more stories when we meet.

— Dr. Jernigan

Let’s build a smile that lasts.

Your happiest smile can start right here.

Come meet the people who make orthodontics feel personal, fresh, and fun. We’ll listen, answer your questions, and create a treatment plan built around you.

Schedule Today!