Steven Lindauer and VCU orthodontics were perfectly aligned

By Vernon Freeman
School of Dentistry

After a journey he never saw coming - 36 years as a cornerstone of the VCU School of Dentistry's Department of Orthodontics - Steven J. Lindauer has retired, having shaped the program's national and international reputation, mentored generations of residents, and advanced the specialty through his research, teaching and vision.

Lindauer, D.M.D, M.D.Sc., retired Oct. 31, with his service including 25 years as department chair. Lyndon F. Cooper, D.D.S., Ph.D., dean of Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Dentistry, said his colleague's legacy will endure.

"Dr. Lindauer has been an extraordinary leader, educator and mentor throughout his tenure at VCU and as chair of the Department of Orthodontics," Cooper said. "His dedication to academic excellence, patient care and faculty development has left a lasting impact on our school and the profession. We are deeply grateful for his years of service and wish him all the best in his well-earned retirement."

How one year became 36

Lindauer graduated from dental school at the University of Connecticut in 1986 and earned a Master of Science in Dentistry as well as a certificate in the specialty of orthodontics in 1989. He received a scholarship for his orthodontics residency that required him to teach for one year.

"I had no interest in being in academics long-term," he admitted.

After completing his residency, Lindauer started interviews for a faculty position to complete his one-year commitment. His first impression of the VCU School of Dentistry was a lasting one, he said, recalling his faculty interview with then-chair Robert J. Isaacson, D.D.S., Ph.D.

"He was such an enthusiastic and motivating person," Lindauer said. "He'd eagerly pull me over to show me the clinic, explain the treatments they were working on, introduce me to the residents like they were the smartest people in the world, and then turn around and introduce me like I was the smartest person in the world. He was just upbeat and deeply optimistic about the ambitious research we could take on."

It was an opportunity Lindauer couldn't pass up. After one year as faculty, he knew the VCU School of Dentistry was home.

"I came here to teach one year, but the school was such a great environment, and I actually loved teaching. So after a year, instead of moving back to New York state to open my own practice, I bought a house in Virginia," Lindauer said.

Whether it was teaching residents and dental students, providing care, or conducting research and writing papers, Lindauer found that a career in academia provided the opportunity to do all the things he loved.

"I think one of the things that's very stimulating about being in an academic environment is that every day you can do something different," he said.

Lindauer's career flourished inside the classroom, at the clinic - and through research. He became a diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics, president of the North Atlantic Component of the Edward H. Angle Society of Orthodontists and the executive secretary of the Virginia Orthodontic Education and Research Foundation. Lindauer has published more than 100 scientific research articles and book chapters.

A new chapter of VCU orthodontics

In 2000, 11 years into his time at VCU and by then a full tenured professor, Lindauer became chair of the Department of Orthodontics following the retirement of Isaacson, his mentor.

As the department's sole faculty member, Lindauer set out to expand the team by hiring two colleagues. In 2002, Eser Tufekci, D.D.S., Ph.D., and Bhavna Shroff, D.D.S., M.D.Sc., joined the department, bringing stability and continuity for the next 23 years.

Lindauer credits this as one of his biggest achievements in his tenure.

"We now have an international reputation because of the people who are here," he said. "Our list of publications is impressive, and our residents have been outstanding. For any teacher, the greatest accomplishment is the people they help shape. The most satisfying part of the job is seeing how much residents grow - from the day they start to the day they graduate."

During his time as chair, the department has graduated more than 100 residents.

Lindauer retires as the longest tenured chair in the history of the Department of Orthodontics. Shroff, director of the orthodontics residency program, has known Lindauer for nearly four decades.

"I met Dr. Lindauer on the first day of our residency program at the University of Connecticut, and the adventure started then," Shroff said. "We have worked together and traveled the world. He is always smiling and humble, and it has been a privilege and an honor to work in his department for the past 23 years. He has made the VCU Department of Orthodontics a world-renowned department for its excellence in teaching, research and service to our community."

A legacy of excellence

Lindauer hopes his tenure is recalled for its commitment to the program, the practice itself and the people.

"I'd like to be remembered for helping the department thrive during my time here - that it fulfilled its mission and grew into a well-respected, internationally recognized program," he said. "I believe our residents received an outstanding education. They left here not only knowledgeable but confident in their ability to take on responsibility, treat patients effectively and run their own practices. Ultimately, I hope to be known for contributing to a program that our graduates are proud to have been part of."

One such graduate is Christina Philips, D.D.S. She said Lindauer played an instrumental role in her education and training throughout both dental school and residency, and his mentorship shaped her decision to pursue a career in academic orthodontics.

"It is difficult to describe the impact Dr. Lindauer has had not only within the VCU School of Dentistry but also on the orthodontic specialty as a whole. He is a humble legend in our profession," said Philips, who recently joined VCU as an assistant professor in the Department of Orthodontics. "On a more personal level, his steady leadership and genuine joy for the specialty are felt by every student, resident, faculty member and staff member who has had the privilege of working with him."

Though Lindauer retired Oct. 31, he returned the following Monday, Nov. 3, to serve as a volunteer faculty member in the clinic. He will serve in that role once a week.

He also plans to stay professionally active as editor of The Angle Orthodontist, an international journal that receives more than 1,000 submissions each year. In this role since 2012, Lindauer said it has allowed him to put his undergraduate degree in English to good use.

But in retirement, Lindauer is also looking forward to life's simple pleasures: gardening, yard work, reorganizing his home - and spending time with his dog, Baxter.

A version of this story was originally published on the School of Dentistry website.