Local Practice Adds An Orthodontist

By Kaaren Valenta

Dr Henry Gellert was a student selling Lavoris mouthwash to dentists during the summer between his junior and senior years in dental school more than 30 years ago when he discovered the specialty of orthodontia.

“It wasn’t something we spent much time learning about in dental school,” he explained. “But in visiting the dentists’ offices, I realized I would like a career in orthodontics. I like children and I liked the idea of working in an environment that is appealing to kids, an environment where they aren’t frightened.”

Dr Joshua E. Baum was a premed student at Tufts University in the late 1990s when a family friend who was a dental hygienist broached the subject of dentistry.

“Once in dental school at UConn, I quickly became interested in orthodontia,” he said. “My first step was to contact the orthodontist, Doug Rollins, who had treated me. After four years of dental school, I went on for three more years [at the State University of New York at Buffalo’s School of Dental Medicine] to be an orthodontist. During the summer between my second and third year, I was able to work for [Dr Rollins] at his office in Hamden.”

Being mentored showed Dr Baum the advantages of working in a practice with other orthodontists. At the same time, Dr Gellert was looking for a protégé to help him maintain the high quality dental care as his practice, which also includes Dr Elyse Koenig, continued to grow. He also felt it was important to be able to provide a smooth transition when the day eventually comes that he will retire.

“I wanted to be able to take a little more time off,” Dr Gellert said. “Dr Baum was highly recommended. We got along well right from the beginning.”

Having another orthodontist on staff also enabled them to spend more time with the parents, explaining procedures and discussing the course of dental treatment.

“That’s the benefits of having three dentists,” Dr Gellert said. “Dr Koenig is great. She’s been with me for 17 years.”

Dr Baum has spent most of his life in Connecticut. Born in North Haven, he graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University, then graduated again at the top of his class from the medical dentistry program at UConn. In addition to his studies, he did extensive research in the regulation of genes that control tooth and jaw growth and won several awards for his work. After three years of orthodontia training at the University of Buffalo, he spent an additional six months there to receive a master’s of science degree for his research in modifying jaw growth and respiratory airway space using orthodontic appliances.

After finishing his training in Buffalo, Dr Baum returned to Connecticut and took a short-term position at a practice in Darien while he looked for a permanent position. His name was suggested to Dr Gellert, who did some investigating and liked what he saw, professionally and personally, in the younger man.

 As someone who wants to help other people, Dr Baum has always found time to be a volunteer. He has worked at soup kitchens, for Habitat for Humanity, and provided dental care at a homeless shelter in Hartford.

While at UConn, he traveled on a dental mission to the small villages along the Amazon River in the jungles of Peru, providing services to indigenous people who had never been to a dentist before. Without electricity to power drills or other equipment, the dental students, working with supervising dentists, primarily performed extractions and administered antibiotics.

“We alleviated discomfort,” he said. “We did a tremendous number of extractions because the decay was so severe that it was almost unrepairable. We treated bacterial infections that could have led to death.”

“It was a very strange experience, working in the middle of the jungle, but the locals knew we were coming and they all came from surrounding villages, both for care and for the show,” he said.

An avid sports fan and participant, Dr Baum lives with his wife, Shana, along the coast in southern Fairfield County. She is an x-ray and mammography technician, and soon-to-be ultrasound technician, on St Vincent’s Medical Center’s mobile mammography unit.

Dr Baum said he thoroughly enjoys his profession because he helps to create smiles in his patients.

“It not only improves their smiles, it helps them want to smile,” he said.

Today, Dr Gellert said, patients are getting treatment at a younger age with outcomes that are easier to achieve. By providing a kid-friendly office, and incentive programs for both the young patients and their siblings, the experience is a good one.

“They are not afraid of it,” he said. “A sibling who sees a brother or sister have a good experience with orthodontia isn’t afraid when their turn comes.”

For Dr Baum, helping to put smiles on those faces makes him glad every day that he chose orthodontia.

“It’s a wonderful profession,” he said.