Orthodontic partner
Hugo Orthodontics.
The practice that built the blueprint. One of South Africa's largest and most sophisticated orthodontic groups, operating across two specialist sites in Johannesburg — and the founding proof of what Smileway makes possible.
40+
Years of specialist orthodontic excellence in Johannesburg
4
Specialist orthodontists
25
Treatment chairs across two locations
The Story
Where it all began.
In 1983, Dr. André Hugo opened a specialist orthodontic practice. Over the next four decades, through relentless clinical innovation, a commitment to accessible pricing, and a willingness to challenge every orthodontic convention, Dr. Hugo built something that had never been seen before in South Africa: a true orthodontic super-practice.
In 2013, Christopher Kerr-Peterson began his collaboration with Dr. Hugo as CEO of Hugo Orthodontics — first as a business administrator , then as a systems thinker and a technology co-founder, and ultimately as a decade-long architect of operational excellence at the practice. Together, they embarked on a transformation that took Hugo Orthodontics from a large five-chair practice to a 21-chair super-site operating across two specialist locations in Johannesburg.
"We wanted to prove that world-class orthodontic care and accessible pricing were not opposing forces — they could be the same thing, if you built the infrastructure to support it."
— Dr. André Hugo, Founder
Along the way, they didn't just grow a practice. They built the tools that the industry lacked: Hugo Systems, a fully cloud-based orthodontic practice management platform; Hugo Lab, an in-house digital fabrication lab that gives the practice unmatched clinical control and turnaround speed; and Go Oral Care, South Africa's leading online store for clinical-grade oral healthcare products.
It was this lived experience — the hard-won knowledge of what a truly excellent, patient-centred orthodontic group looks like — that became the foundation for Smileway. Christopher Kerr-Peterson now serves as Chief Operating Officer of Smileway, bringing the operational systems, the clinical insights, and the infrastructure built at Hugo Orthodontics to practices across South Africa. Hugo Orthodontics is not just a Smileway partner. It is the Smileway case study — the proof of concept for everything the group stands for.
-
Dr. André Hugo qualifies as a specialist orthodontist and establishes his practice at 3 Carnation Street, Floracliffe, Roodepoort — serving the western Johannesburg community with specialist care from day one.
-
Dr. Hugo pioneers the introduction of lingual orthodontic technique in South Africa, co-developing a methodology with Dr. Ziegfried Weber and presenting it at international conferences across Europe, including Brussels, Innsbruck, Salzburg, and Hamburg. His work is published in the European Journal of Orthodontics and the International Journal of Dentofacial Orthopedics.
-
Christopher Kerr-Peterson joins Hugo Orthodontics, launching South Africa's first orthodontic online booking system. The data gathered begins to illuminate transformative opportunities in practice operations and patient experience.
-
Development commences on Hugo Systems — a fully cloud-based, integrated practice management platform purpose-built for orthodontics. Designed from the ground up to give patients unprecedented real-time access to their own treatment journey.
-
Hugo Systems launches at Hugo Orthodontics, immediately transforming patient engagement, clinical coordination, and operational efficiency at the practice. The in-house Hugo Lab also comes online, giving the clinical team unmatched control over aligner fabrication and adjustment speed.
-
Hugo Orthodontics expands dramatically under the Smileway partnership model — growing from a large single-site practice to a 21-chair, two-location orthodontic group with four specialist orthodontists treating patients at medical aid rates across Floracliffe and Randburg.
-
Hugo Orthodontics stands as the founding partner of the Smileway network and the most advanced orthodontic practice in the country — combining 40 years of clinical excellence with cutting-edge technology, two Johannesburg locations, and a team of four specialist orthodontists.
