Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Gregory Baker, DDS.
Dr. Baker, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started my dental career in Hanover, NH in 1981 as a general dentist. After 8 years of crowns, silver fillings and root canals, I decided to go back to school to study orthodontics. In 1989, I received my certificate in orthodontics from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. After those two years of study, I returned to Hanover to start Baker Orthodontics.
I quickly realized that in order stay on top of all the changes in my profession I would need to remain a “student of orthodontics” for the foreseeable future. I decided the best way to do that was to affiliate with a university. In 2000, Harvard School of Orthodontics invited me to become a part-time clinical instructor and this has been the most rewarding part of my professional career. I am also the President of the Harvard Society for the Advancement of Orthodontics. The relationships that I’ve developed have been deeply meaningful. I now have orthodontic family all over the world.
The years have brought many big changes to my profession. The most significant has been the development of clear aligners to straighten teeth. Eighty percent of patients that walk into my Hanover office want Invisalign®. Goopy impressions and metal braces are out. Digital scanners, 3D images and plastic trays are in. It takes 15 minutes to send a patient scan to Invisalign® and start the teeth straightening process. No more poking wires and unaesthetic metal brackets. It was obvious that I needed to either rethink my orthodontic paradigm or retire.
After several years of witnessing what Invisalign® can do, the difference is “clear.” Braces is to Invisalign® as a Ford F150 is to a Tesla. Either vehicle can get you where you’re going. I just prefer a Tesla. Faster, more comfortable and more esthetic.
The Invisalign® boutique practice is unchartered territory in orthodontics and Xcelerated Orthodontics (XO) of Portsmouth is only the second of its kind in the Northeast and opened in 2017. I predict it is the future of our profession. I chose the city of Portsmouth as my new location based on the fact that my grandchildren live there, attending the Little Harbor School, and I knew I wanted to be closer to them.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My biggest challenge to starting an Invisalign®-only practice has been the dental community’s general perception that Invisalign® doesn’t work. It is true that Invisalign® does not work if you allow an Invisalign® technician to plan your case without sufficient knowledge of tooth movement. It is easy to move teeth on a 3D computer model. It takes years of orthodontic experience to know if what you see on the computer is what you will actually get in a patient’s mouth.
Shifting orthodontic expertise from traditional braces to clear aligners is a steep learning curve My favorite quote from Invisalign® instructor Dr. Willy Dayan is, “Ask not what Invisalign® can do for you, ask what you can do with Invisalign®.”
Both Invisalign® and XO of Portsmouth are here to stay. This new orthodontic delivery concept is unique and is simply what the public wants. Fast, comfortable and esthetic with an occasional quick stop at the charging station.
Please tell us about XO of Portsmouth. XO of Portsmouth.
Xcelerated Orthodontics of Portsmouth, NH, is an Invisalign® specific boutique, only the second of its kind in the Northeast, that offers teens and adults accelerated Invisalign® treatment and “Sm;)e Perfected” teeth whitening for beautiful, straight teeth and proper jaw function. As a patient at XO, you’ll work with an attentive team that will take care of your individual needs, and benefit from a personalized treatment plan to achieve both your aesthetic and functional goals.
I’ve been practicing in New Hampshire for over 35 years and it is my pleasure to provide my patients with top-of-the-line orthodontic care. As a firm believer in continuing education, I have become a Premier Invisalign® Provider, am a member of the Roth Williams International Society of Orthodontics, am the President of the Harvard Society for the Advancement of Orthodontics and serve as associate clinical professor of orthodontics at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. I am passionate about learning new procedures and techniques to the benefit of both my patients and my students.
At XO, you will receive:
– The smile you’ve always wanted without braces using Invisalign®
– Faster results with PROPEL VPro5 (PROPEL works with your own biology by stimulating the bone surrounding your teeth. It helps your teeth to move faster and more predictably into their ideal position. This allows you to see your new smile faster and requires fewer visits to our office. PROPEL can be completed right here in our office and does not require any invasive surgical procedures.)
– No goop or gag dental impressions using the iTero Element Scanner
– Aesthetic orthodontic treatment that also addresses proper jaw function
Contact Info:
- Address: Xcelerated Orthodontics of Portsmouth
59 Deer St.
Portsmouth, NH 03801 - Website: https://www.xcel-ortho.com/
- Phone: (603) 610-8255
- Email: info@xcel-ortho.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xceleratedorthodontics/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/xcelerated.orthodontics/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Xcel_Ortho
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
