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                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.4

                               OrthAlliance, Inc.
                       1999 Orthodontist Stock Option Plan
                         Form of Stock Option Agreement

                               ORTHALLIANCE, INC.
                             STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

        THIS STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT (this "Agreement"), entered into as of the
_____ day of ________________, 2000 by and between OrthAlliance, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and _________________ (the "Optionee").

        WHEREAS, on December 16, 1999, the Board of Directors of the Company
adopted a stock option plan known as the "OrthAlliance, Inc. 1999 Orthodontist
Stock Option Plan" (the "Plan") and recommended that the Plan be approved by the
Company's stockholders;

        WHEREAS, the Committee has granted the Optionee an Option (as described
below) to purchase the number of shares of the Company's Common Stock (the
"Stock") as set forth below;

        WHEREAS, the Company and the Optionee desire to enter into a written
agreement with respect to the Option in accordance with the Plan; and

        WHEREAS, capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meanings
ascribed to them in the Plan;

        NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained
herein, the parties hereto agree as follows.

        1. Incorporation of Plan. This Option is granted pursuant to the
provisions of the Plan and the terms and definitions of the Plan are
incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof. A copy of the Plan has
been delivered to, and receipt is hereby acknowledged by, the Optionee.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, to the extent the
terms of this Agreement conflict with or otherwise attempt to exceed the
authority set forth under the Plan, the Plan shall govern and control in all
respects.

        2. Grant of Option. Subject to the terms, restrictions, limitations, and
conditions stated herein and the terms of the Plan, the Company hereby evidences
its grant to the Optionee of the right and option to purchase all or any part of
the number of shares of Stock (as defined under the Plan), set forth on Schedule
A attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference (the "Option"). The
Option shall be exercisable in the amounts specified on Schedule A. The Option
shall expire and shall not be exercisable after the date specified on Schedule A
as the expiration date or on such earlier date as determined pursuant to the
Plan.

        3. Purchase Price. The price per share to be paid by the Optionee for
the shares subject to this Option (the "Exercise Price") shall be as specified
on Schedule A.



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        4. Exercise Terms. In the event this Option is not exercised with
respect to all or any part of the shares subject to this Option prior to its
expiration, the shares with respect to which this Option was not exercised shall
no longer be subject to this Option.

        5. Restrictions on Transferability. No Option shall be transferable by
Optionee other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

        6. Notice of Exercise of Option. This Option may be exercised by the
Optionee, or by the Optionee's administrators, executors or personal
representatives, by a written notice (in substantially the form of the Notice of
Exercise attached hereto as Schedule B) signed by the Optionee, or by such
administrators, executors or personal representatives, and delivered or mailed
to the Company as specified in Section 13 hereof to the attention of the Senior
Vice President, General Counsel or such other officer as the Company may
designate. Any such notice shall (a) specify the number of shares of Stock which
the Optionee or the Optionee's administrators, executors or personal
representatives, as the case may be, then elects to purchase hereunder, (b)
contain such information as may be reasonably required pursuant to Section 10
hereof, and (c) be accompanied by a certified or cashier's check payable to the
Company in payment of the total Exercise Price applicable to such shares as
provided herein; or, if approved by the Committee (i) shares of Stock owned by
the Optionee and duly endorsed or accompanied by stock transfer powers having a
Fair Market Value equal to the total Exercise Price applicable to such shares
purchased hereunder or (ii) a certified or cashier's check accompanied by the
number of shares of Stock whose Fair Market Value when added to the amount of
the check equals the total Exercise Price applicable to such shares purchased
hereunder, subject to compliance with applicable federal and state laws. Upon
receipt of any such notice and accompanying payment, and subject to the terms
hereof, the Company agrees to issue to the Optionee or the Optionee's
administrators, executors or personal representatives, as the case may be, stock
certificates for the number of shares specified in such notice registered in the
name of the person exercising this Option.

        7. Adjustment in Option. The number of shares of Stock subject to this
Option, the Exercise Price and other matters are subject to adjustment during
the term of this Option in accordance with the Plan.

        8. Death of Optionee. In the event of the Optionee's death, the
appropriate persons described in Section 6 hereof or persons to whom all or a
portion of this Option is transferred in accordance with Section 5 hereof may
exercise this Option at any time within a period ending on the earlier of (a)
the last day of the one (1) year period following the Optionee's death or (b)
the expiration date of this Option.

        9. Date of Grant. This Option was granted by the Committee on the date
set forth in Schedule A (the "Date of Grant").

        10. Compliance with Regulatory Matters. The Optionee acknowledges that
the issuance of capital stock of the Company is subject to limitations imposed
by federal and state law and the Optionee hereby agrees that the Company shall
not be obligated to issue


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any shares of Stock upon exercise of this Option that would cause the Company to
violate law or any rule, regulation, order or consent decree of any regulatory
authority (including without limitation the Securities and Exchange Commission)
having jurisdiction over the affairs of the Company. The Optionee agrees that he
or she will provide the Company with such information as is reasonably requested
by the Company or its counsel to determine whether the issuance of Stock
complies with the provisions described by this Section.

        11.    Investment Representation of Optionee.

               (a)    Optionee represents to the Company the following:

                      (i) that Optionee has read and understands the terms and
               provisions of the Plan, and hereby accepts this Agreement subject
               to all the terms and provisions of the Plan;

                      (ii) that Optionee shall accept as binding and final all
               decisions or interpretations of the Board or of the Committee
               upon any questions arising under the Plan; and

                      (iii) Optionee understands that, unless at the time of
               exercise of the Option, a registration statement under the
               Securities Act of 1933, as amended, is in effect covering the
               Stock, as a condition to the exercise of the Option the Company
               may require Optionee to represent that Optionee is acquiring the
               Stock for Optionee's own account only and not with a view to, or
               for sale in connection with, any distribution of the Stock.

               (b) The Optionee understands and agrees that the certificate or
        certificates representing any shares of Stock acquired hereunder may
        bear an appropriate legend relating to registration and resale under
        federal and state securities laws.

               (c) The Optionee shall not have any rights of a stockholder of
        the Company with respect to the shares of Stock which may be purchased
        upon exercise of this Option, unless and until such shares shall have
        been issued and delivered and his/her name has been entered as a
        stockholder on the stock transfer records of the Company.

        12.    Miscellaneous.

               (a) This Agreement shall be binding upon the parties hereto and
        their representatives, successors and assigns.

               (b) This Agreement is executed and delivered in, and shall be
        governed by the laws of, the State of Delaware, without regard to
        conflicts of laws principles.

               (c) Any notice, request, document or other communication given
        hereunder shall be deemed to be sufficiently given upon personal
        delivery to the other party or upon the expiration of three (3) days
        after depositing same in the United States mail, return receipt
        requested, properly addressed to the respective

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        parties or such other address as they may give to the other party in
        writing in the same manner as follows:

               Company:

                      OrthAlliance, Inc.
                      21535 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 200
                      Torrance, California 90503
                      Attention:  Senior Vice President, General Counsel

               Optionee:

                      ---------------------------------------------------
                      ---------------------------------------------------
                      ---------------------------------------------------
                      ---------------------------------------------------

                (d) This Agreement may not be modified except in writing
        executed by each of the parties hereto.

               (e) This Agreement, together with the Plan, contains the entire
        understanding of the parties hereto and supersedes any prior
        understanding and/or written or oral agreement between them respecting
        the subject matter hereof.

               (f) The parties agree that the provisions of this Agreement are
        severable and the invalidity or unenforceability of any provision in
        whole or part shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any
        enforceable part of such provision or any other provisions hereof.

               (g) The headings with Sections herein are included solely for
        convenience of reference and shall not control the meaning or
        interpretation of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

               (h) No waiver of any breach or default hereunder shall be
        considered valid unless in writing, and no such waiver shall be deemed a
        waiver of any subsequent breach or default of the same or similar
        nature.

               (i) This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts,
        each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which together
        shall constitute one and the same instrument.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Committee has caused this Stock Option Agreement
to be executed on behalf of the Company, and the Optionee has executed this
Stock Option Agreement, all as of the day and year first above written.

                                    COMPANY:

                                    ORTHALLIANCE, INC.


                                    By:
                                       ----------------------------------------
                                    Name:


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                                    Title:


                                    OPTIONEE:

                                    By:
                                       ----------------------------------------

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                                   SCHEDULE A
                                       TO
                             STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
                                     BETWEEN
                               ORTHALLIANCE, INC.
                                       AND
                               [Name of Optionee]



Dated
     -------------------


Number of Shares Subject to Option:               shares of Stock.
                                   ---------------

Option Exercise Price: $                per share.
                        ----------------

Date of Grant:
              -------------------------------


Option Exercise Expiration Date:
                                 ----------------------






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                                   SCHEDULE B
                                       TO
                             STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
                                     BETWEEN
                               ORTHALLIANCE, INC.
                                       AND
                               [Name of Optionee]

                             Dated ________________

                               NOTICE OF EXERCISE


        The undersigned hereby notifies OrthAlliance, Inc. (the "Company") of
this election to exercise the undersigned's stock option to purchase
________________ shares of Stock (as defined under the Plan) pursuant to the
Stock Option Agreement (the "Agreement") between the undersigned and the Company
dated ________________. Accompanying this Notice is (1) a certified or a
cashier's check in the amount of $________________ payable to the Company,
and/or (2) _______________ shares of Stock (as defined under the Plan) presently
owned by the undersigned and duly endorsed or accompanied by stock transfer
powers, having an aggregate Fair Market Value (as defined under the Plan) as of
the date hereof of $__________________, such amounts being equal, in the
aggregate, to the purchase price per share set forth in Section 3 of the
Agreement multiplied by the number of shares being purchased hereby (in each
instance subject to appropriate adjustment pursuant to Section 7 of the
Agreement).

        The undersigned is a resident of the State of ___________________.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has set his/her hand and seal, this
________ day of ________________, ______.

                             OPTIONEE [OR OPTIONEE'S ADMINISTRATOR,
                             EXECUTOR OR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE]


                             Name:
                                  ---------------------------------------------
                             Position (if other than Optionee):