10 Questions with Dr. Gary Lindner

For more than two decades, Dr. Gary Lindner has been a staple in Bedford, putting clean and healthy smiles on the faces of local children and adults alike, while embracing the latest advancements in dental technology.

We here at Bedford Patch thought it would be fun to catch up with Dr. Lindner for 10 questions about his widely-successful and well-known practice.

Bon Appétit

1. How long has your practice been open in Bedford?

Lindner Dental opened in Bedford in 1985. We celebrated 25 years in 2011!

2. How long have you practiced and where did you earn your degrees?

I have practiced dental medicine for over 25 years. I earned my DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) from the University of Pennsylvania and DMSc (Doctor of Medical Sciences) from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. I completed specialty training at The Forsyth Institute and Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital in the areas of pediatric dentistry and orthodontics.

3. What made you choose Bedford?

I chose Bedford as the location for my practice because it is a great, child-friendly community where people care a great deal about one another.

4. What professional moment/accomplishment has made you most proud?

I am most proud of earning my DMSc (Doctor of Medical Sciences) degree for work in the genetics of cleft lip and palate, and achieving board certification in two dental specialties – pediatric dentistry and orthodontics.

5. What was the most interesting dental work you've ever had to do?

The most rewarding experience for me has been caring for people who have facial deformities. In these cases, I often collaborate with surgeons and clinicians from Boston and Dartmouth on the patients’ treatment plans in order to provide the best, most thoughtful care possible.

6. What's the most difficult part about your job?

The most difficult part of my job is trying to influence people to modify their behavior to achieve long-term benefit to their dental health and therefore their overall health and well-being.

7. What's the most gratifying?

The most gratifying part of my job is growing and cultivating the professional and patient relationships necessary to pursue productive goals – from hospital emergency rooms to [non-profit organization] Child Health Services to local pediatricians and dentists, we seek to work collaboratively for the long-term benefit of our patients. We cherish and are deeply gratified by these connections.

8. How has dentistry changed during your time practicing?

Dentistry has changed in many ways, but especially in the areas of aesthetics and patient comfort. We now use white restorative materials for fillings and crowns, for instance, and subtle corrective appliances such as Invisalign. And there have been so many advances in techniques and technology that allow us to provide a more comfortable and less time-consuming treatment experience for patients.

9. What are you goals for the future?

Long term, we will continue to enhance our orthodontic treatment with new technology, such as the iTero scanner, which allows us to take incredibly accurate images of a patient’s mouth. The iTero affords our patients a much more comfortable experience than the use of standard impressions, which we know taste and feel “yucky.” Invisalign is another area where we will continue to expand – beyond the aesthetics, Invisalign is more comfortable for patients and less likely than traditional braces to result in tooth decay or gum injury.

Dr. Bradley Field recently joined our practice as well, and is a wonderful addition to our team! Dr. Field is a pediatric dentist and a recent graduate of the Harvard University / Children’s Hospital Boston pediatric dentistry program.

10. Is there anything else you'd like the people of Bedford to know?

We cherish our relationships with our patients, colleagues and the greater Bedford community. We value the trust placed in us and take very seriously our responsibilities to individual patients and to the community. We are here to stay!