Meet Our Doctors
Lance H. Hutchens, DDS, MS
Dr. Hutchens attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Dentistry and was then awarded a residency position in the Graduate Periodontology Program as well as with the Department of Oral Biology at The Medical College of Georgia (now the Dental College of Georgia/Augusta University). There he completed a Master’s Degree in Oral Biology and a Certificate in Clinical Periodontology and Implantology. His residency includes specific hospital based training in anesthesiology.
Dr. Hutchens areas of expertise include dental implants, gum grafting, bone grafting, periodontal surgery(traditional and with a lasers), sedation, and the treatment of teeth and implants with bone loss or infections. He is a clinical professor at Cape Fear Community College in the Dental Hygiene Program as well as at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Department of Periodontology.
John Buyer, DDS, MPH, MS, MSS
Dr. John Buyer is a third-generation dentist with an exceptional background in clinical practice, education, and military service. He earned his Bachelor of Science from The Citadel and his Doctor of Dental Surgery from Indiana University. Dr. Buyer completed extensive postdoctoral training, including a Master of Public Health from the University of South Carolina, a Master of Science from the Medical College of Georgia, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.
While in private practice, Dr. Buyer taught graduate-level periodontology at Virginia Commonwealth University for seven years. He provides the full spectrum of periodontal care, with particular expertise in periodontal laser therapy and esthetic anterior implant dentistry. Dr. Buyer served honorably in the United States Army from 1975 to 2008, retiring as a Colonel. His distinguished military career included roles as a commander, staff officer, and dean of two general dentistry residency programs. He concluded his service as Deputy Assistant Surgeon General at the Pentagon. After 16 years in a highly successful private practice in Blacksburg, Virginia, Dr. Buyer semi-retired to Saint James, North Carolina, where he joined Dr. Hutchens’ growing periodontal and implant practice. He is board certified, licensed to practice in North Carolina and Virginia, and is an active member of numerous professional organizations.