Although used to visual spotlights herself, local go-getter Sofie Grace Rovenstine used her Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2018 platform to promote messages of self-acceptance to young girls, because she recalled a time when she felt burdened by the insecurities the modeling industry had placed on her. But she didn’t let that stop her from becoming a Victoria's Secret model.
Sofie remembers when her smile wasn't perfect and how just that one aspect affected her self-image. She turned to the local offices of Dr. David Kemp at Kemp & Rice Orthodontics. Dr. Kemp and Sofie formed a trusting partnership, through which they perfected her signature smile.
She entered modeling when she was just 14. At that time, she signed with AMAX, a leading local agency in Nashville.
"I was able to work on the weekends and absolutely fell in love with modeling, both on camera and on the runway. I began to plan for an early graduation so I could invest in my career full-time," Sofie says.
By age 15, she was signed with IMG Worldwide, which afforded her opportunities to travel to London, Paris, New York City and Milan to work with top clothing designers. However, this notoriety was balanced by other life activities, such as living in the mountains of Mexico to perform mission work with her family in her youth. Aside from her summer international travels for modeling, she says she maintained a normal high school life, even joining the track team where she won a state title.
"The first insight I had into the pressures and standards of the industry was when my NYC agent told me I needed to choose track or modeling. Because I was training up to four hours a day, I had developed quite a bit of muscle. He said that my body no longer fit the expected standard in the industry and that if I wanted a future in modeling, I couldn’t do track. And despite my just becoming a state champion in the long jump and knowing that scholarships were on the horizon, I quit track," she says. "I was told I needed to change, but really it is the modeling industry that needed to change."
So she went about carving out her own path for modeling, by working with her body in its natural, healthy state.
Sofie obtained her associate's degree in international affairs. Her philanthropic efforts still focus on enriching lives of underprivileged orphans from developing nations and working with children with developmental and physical disabilities.
How Dr. Kemp Envisioned a Model's Smile:
In 2017, when Sofie won the Miss Tennessee Teen crown, she and her team set their goal to win the Miss Teen USA crown. One of the steps to achieving this goal was to improve her smile. However, there was a brief window of time in which to help Sofie, due to her timeline of photo shoots and the date of the national pageant.
"The idea was to use our specialized technology and expertise to achieve the transformation of Sofie’s smile in this very short period," Dr. Kemp says. “I'm excited to have had a small part in helping Sofie achieve her goals by giving her a winning, beautiful smile."
He says Sofie tells him that almost every person who meets her for the first time mentions that she has the most beautiful smile.
Sofie’s treatment plan included using the most ultra-aesthetic orthodontic appliances available. Dr. Kemp’s perfected system consists of clear braces and tooth-colored wires that don't stain.
"We used our computer-guided bracket placement system to ensure we were as efficient with Sofie’s tooth movement as possible," he says.
They placed Sofie’s braces in early December 2017 and removed all of them on May 3, 2018—one week before Miss Teen USA started. That new smile helped give Sofie the confidence to earn sixth place out of 50 competitors.
Soon after her National Miss Teen USA competition, Sofie was selected to partner with Victoria’s Secret and walk the famous runway. She now is one of the world's most sought-after models. Dr. Kemp continues to work with Sofie to enhance her smile during her busy modeling career by using his custom-created, in-house aligner tray system he calls K-Aligners.
8 a.m.: Wake up and coffee ASAP.
9 a.m.: Go for a run with my dog.
10 a.m.: Head to set, then hair and makeup starts.
11 a.m.: Get dressed and we start shooting.
12 p.m.: Lunchtime.
12:30 p.m.: Get back to work.
5 p.m.: After a long day of shooting and lots of different looks, it's a wrap.
6 p.m.: Head to downtown Nashville to meet friends for dinner at my favorite restaurants.
9 p.m.: Spend some time doing self-care and my skin care routine.
10 p.m.: Snuggle with my dog and bedtime.