Healthcare & Social Assistance · Gastonia, NC

Smile Zone

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Smile Zone has a relatively clean safety record: 1 violations across 1 inspections. See the full breakdown below.

Lower half by penalty100% serious
$250
OSHA penalties
1
Violations cited
1
OSHA inspections
$7,547
Back wages owed

Smile Zone in Gastonia, NC has been the subject of 1 OSHA workplace inspections and 1 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $250. Federal wage-and-hour enforcement records also show 40 WHD violations against this employer under the Fair Labor Standards Act. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected Smile Zone once. These inspections resulted in 1 violations, averaging 1.0 per inspection. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the lower half of penalized employers nationally. Of these, 1 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Healthcare & Social Assistance industry average of 1 inspections per employer, this runs moderately above peers (1.5x the sector average) on inspection frequency. The Department of Labor also found wage violations, with $7,547 in back wages owed to 19 affected workers. For comparison, Winchester Gardens Health Care Center in Maplewood, NJ is another healthcare & social assistance employer with 0 OSHA inspections on record and $0 in current penalties.

1.0
violations per inspection
100.0%
of violations were serious
3%
of penalized employers rank lower
$7,547
in back wages recovered

How Smile Zone compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Healthcare & Social Assistance per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows Smile Zone runs well below peers (0.21x the sector average) in total OSHA penalties.

Source U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA enforcement extracts As of 2026

Where this penalty ranks nationally

Total current OSHA penalty vs every U.S. employer with a nonzero penalty

$250 Top 3% most affordable more affordable than 97% of 100,495 U.S. employers with a penalty

$0–$5,000: 44,435 U.S. employers with a penalty (44%). This entry sits in this band. $5,000–$10,000: 20,628 U.S. employers with a penalty (21%). Above this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 11,165 U.S. employers with a penalty (11%). Above this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 6,629 U.S. employers with a penalty (7%). Above this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 4,205 U.S. employers with a penalty (4%). Above this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 2,885 U.S. employers with a penalty (3%). Above this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 2,052 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). Above this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1,483 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1,120 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 792 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 5,101 U.S. employers with a penalty (5%). Above this entry. This employer $0 $55,000 every penalized U.S. employer, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more U.S. employers with a penalty. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA enforcement extracts · 2026

What the Data Says About Smile Zone

The federal enforcement record for Smile Zone in Gastonia, NC includes 1 OSHA inspection and 1 violation, translating to 1.00 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 1 (100.0%) were classified as serious, 0 (0.0%) as willful, and 0 (0.0%) as repeat. Serious violations denote hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm; willful and repeat categories indicate intentional disregard or recurrence of previously cited hazards.

OSHA assessed $250 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $250 - no reduction from the original assessment. Average penalty per inspection works out to $250. Against the Healthcare & Social Assistance industry average of $1,177 per employer, this record runs well below peers (0.21x the sector average). The Wage and Hour Division added 1 case producing $7,547 in back wages owed to 19 affected workers.

Inspection activity spans from 2012-01-23 to 2012-01-23, a window of roughly 1 year.

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

1

First Inspection

2012-01-23

Last Inspection

2012-01-23

Inspection Span

1 yr

Violations / Inspection

1.0

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$250

Industry Avg / Inspection

$1,756

What this shows 1 inspection over 1 year, averaging 1.0 violations per visit. That's $250 per inspection vs. the Healthcare & Social Assistance average of $1,756.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

1

Serious

100.0% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

0

Other-Than-Serious

0.0% of total

What this shows Serious violations involve hazards that could cause death or serious physical harm. Willful violations indicate intentional or knowing disregard of the law. Repeat violations are for hazards previously cited within the past 5 years.

Enforcement detail

Penalty Analysis

Initial Penalty Assessed

$250

Current Penalty Amount

$250

Penalty Reduction

None

Combined Impact (OSHA + WHD)

$7,797

What this shows No reduction on record. The current penalty matches the original OSHA assessment.

Wage & Hour Findings

WHD Cases
1
Back Wages Owed
$7,547
Employees Affected
19
WHD Violations
40
Avg Back Wages per Employee
$397
Avg Back Wages per Case
$7,547

The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found that Smile Zone owed $7,547 in back wages to 19 employees across 1 case and 40 violations. WHD enforces federal labor laws including the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), covering minimum wage, overtime pay, and child labor standards.

Industry Safety Context: Healthcare & Social Assistance

How Smile Zone compares to the Healthcare & Social Assistance sector, which has 18,008 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric Smile Zone Industry Avg
Inspections 1 0.7
Violations 1 1.1
Total Penalty $250 $1,177
Avg Penalty per Inspection $250 $1,756

Nearby & Similar Employers in Healthcare & Social Assistance

Compare Smile Zone vs Mecklenburg Foot and Ankle Associates and Diabetic side-by-side →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Smile Zone safe to work at?
Based on OSHA records, Smile Zone's workplace safety record is relatively clean, with fewer violations than typical. The employer has 1 violations across 1 inspections, including 1 serious violations. Compared to Healthcare & Social Assistance industry peers, this is below average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does Smile Zone have?
Smile Zone has 1 OSHA violations on record, including 1 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $250.
How many OSHA inspections has Smile Zone had?
Smile Zone has had 1 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2012-01-23 and the most recent on 2012-01-23. This averages 1.0 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for Smile Zone?
Smile Zone has been assessed $250 in current OSHA penalties. Additionally, $7,547 in back wages were owed through WHD enforcement.
Does Smile Zone have any serious or willful violations?
Yes. Smile Zone has 1 serious violations. Serious violations involve hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. Willful violations indicate the employer intentionally or knowingly disregarded the law.
Has Smile Zone been cited for wage theft?
Yes. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has recorded 1 enforcement case against Smile Zone, resulting in $7,547 in back wages owed to 19 affected workers. These cases involve violations of federal labor laws including minimum wage, overtime, and other worker protections.
What industry does Smile Zone operate in?
Smile Zone operates in the Healthcare & Social Assistance sector (NAICS code 621210). This industry has 18,008 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 12,069 total OSHA inspections and $21.20M in cumulative penalties.
What should I do if Smile Zone owes me wages?
If you believe Smile Zone owes you wages, you can file a complaint with the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division at dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact/complaints or by calling 1-866-487-9243. WHD investigates violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act including unpaid minimum wage, overtime, and unauthorized deductions. The DOL has previously found $7,547 in back wages owed by this employer across 1 case.
How does Smile Zone's safety record compare to industry average?
Smile Zone's total OSHA penalty of $250 is below the Healthcare & Social Assistance industry average of $1,177 per employer. The employer has 1 inspections compared to the industry average of 0.7 per employer. For a direct comparison, Winchester Gardens Health Care Center in Maplewood, NJ is a similar healthcare & social assistance employer with $0 in current penalties.

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What to check next

Smile Zone's record is one establishment in a larger pattern. Use it as a research checklist, not a verdict on the employer overall.

These figures are the federal enforcement record on file and reflect past inspections, not a statement about current workplace conditions. See the disclaimer for how to read them.

Data Sources & Methodology

Data as of 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA, WHD).

Source: OSHA Enforcement Data

Inspection and violation records from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Department of Labor, covering the period 2010–2026. Includes inspection dates, violation types (serious, willful, repeat, other-than-serious), and penalty amounts. Penalties shown are current assessed amounts and may differ from original citations due to settlement, contest, or reduction.

Source: Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

Compliance actions from the WHD, covering enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), including minimum wage, overtime, and child labor violations. Back wages represent amounts owed to affected employees as determined by WHD investigations.

Employer Matching

Employers are matched across OSHA and WHD datasets by name, state, and city. Employers included in PlainWorker have 2 or more OSHA inspections or $1,000+ in WHD back wages. Data is updated monthly from data.dol.gov.

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Every figure on PlainWorker is rendered directly from official U.S. Department of Labor OSHA and Wage & Hour Division enforcement records, no number is typed in by an editor. This employer's ratios (penalty-per-violation, industry comparisons) are computed live from the 1 inspection on record. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.