When former Atlanta Hawks player Dominique Wilkins wanted to update his smile, he turned to Dr. Nia, and what resulted was a long-lasting friendship.

When you look at Dr. Bahar Nia, founder of Buckhead Cosmetic & Family Dentistry, and former Atlanta Hawks player Dominique Wilkins, you might think the two are an unlikely duo: her a dainty 5-foot-4 wearing Alexander McQueen pumps, and him a 6-foot-8 famous athlete. But in reality, the two have grown a lifelong friendship after Wilkins reached out to Nia, looking to refresh his smile.

Buckhead Cosmetic & Family Dentistry is known for its quality of care and addressing every detail of the dental experience, having gathered a faithful following of celebrity and non-celebrity clients over the years—25,400 followers on Instagram to be exact. Wilkins did his research on social media when knew his pearly whites needed an upgrade and found Dr. Nia’s practice. And so began their professional relationship that evolved to a friendship. “When Dominique reached out to us, we set up a consultation and discussed all the options he had, showcasing our relational approach to care, and tailoring solutions that made sense for him,” says Nia. “When you approach care relationally and have emotional availability, it becomes easy to find common grounds and form friendships.” This is the secret ingredient to Nia’s success, and common ground for both powerhouses. No matter the height difference, Nia and Wilkins have very similar personalities; both are perfectionists, competitive and have a sense of humor. “Having these common values was a huge first step in a successful collaboration,” says Nia. So, when she got a call from Wilkins about his 60th birthday, she gave up her already planned Celine Dion concert tickets to be by his side. “I didn’t hesitate to gift the tickets to one of my colleagues. He told me, ‘You can’t be missing my 60th birthday, little lady,’ and I knew that my presence there would mean so much to him,” says Nia. “Seeing him smile and the restored confidence he had ringing in his 60th year was so, so worth it. He even gave me a huge shout-out at his big bash. That moment really sums up our friendship.”

Dr. Bahar Nia holding a basketball signed by Dominique Wilkins at her Buckhead Dentistry offices on Pharr Road

It is the practice’s mission to make every interaction transformative, regardless of if the procedure is largely invasive or something simple. With Wilkins, the goal was to make sure his smile matched his legendary status in sports and larger community. Wilkins is a spokesperson for many organizations, including Wellstar Health System (wellstar.org), as well as the chairman of the board for KultureCity (kulturecity.org), a foundation that brings awareness to children with sensory needs, working with places like sports venues to better engage and provide for those individuals. “I love the work KultureCity is doing and supporting a cause that is so dear to Dominique,” says Nia. “He is such a public figure that impacts so many lives positively, we needed to make sure the smile met that criterion.” 316 Pharr Road NE, buckheaddentistry.com