Dr. Blaine Langberg is not your typical orthodontist. When he’s not straightening teeth, you can find him at the local comedy club doing standup or at a writer’s workshop honing his writing craft. Fun fact: he is also an author who wrote a book titled “Journey of a Jubu: How a Neurotic Jew Found His Inner Bu.”
His genuine love for the local community is undeniable. If there’s one thing you take away from this piece, let it be Dr. Langberg’s easy sense of humor and ability to have fun.
Partnering with a host of local organizations including the Boys and Girls Club, the Ridgefield Library, the Prospector Theater, the Thanksgiving Day Race, and so many more, Dr. Langberg is passionate about giving back to the community as much as possible because he has been living and breathing Ridgefield for 20+ years, the same amount of time he has held his Orthodontist practice on 17 Danbury Road in Girolmetti Court.
“My wife and I really value education,” Dr. Langberg said. “And we love giving back because the community here has been so amazing to us." He routinely gives patients gift cards to the Prospector, sponsors the arts in Ridgefield, and supports sports organizations like SCORE for soccer, Ridgefield Girls Softball, and high school wrestling, skiing and lacrosse. His three daughters are as immersed in Ridgefield as he is, all involved in dance, theater, sports and other town activities, carrying out their father's commitment to community.
His policy? “We’ll always say ‘yes’ to our patients if they ask us to sponsor something.”
So, what is this "Around the World with Dr. Langberg" program, and why does he do it? If you're familiar with the "Flat Stanley" concept, it's essentially a play off of that. For those unfamiliar, Flat Stanley is a character in a children's book series. As seen in the stick figures of Dr. Langberg, the purpose of this fun travel to-do is to promote an interest in learning about different people and places amongst travel escapades.
The gist? His patients send him photos of themselves “around the world” vacationing with their families as a fun way to stay connected. “It’s a way for the patients to have fun when they’re not here, and to chat about it in the chair,” he says simply. “We always love having fun here,” Dr. Langberg says, smiling. “It starts with putting the braces on, and after we take the braces off, we dance and celebrate. We march around, put music on, put silly hats on,” he says.
Kids have taken him to New Zealand, Japan, and "all over, really," he says of the mini Dr. Langbergs. “They put me in bathing suits on their beach vacations, and even posed me as a character from Game of Thrones,” he laughs.
As for Dr. Langberg specifically, he loves adventure and travel of any kind. From hiking Mount Kilimanjaro (no big deal?!) and going on a Safari to exploring Patagonia and visiting the national parks in Utah, the orthodontist/comedian/author’s love for beautiful scenery and adventure is no secret. “When I’m not straightening teeth,” he laughs, “My favorite cities to explore include Prague and Vancouver.”
On a more serious note, the sincerity for his patients is undeniable, in every regard. "We care about our patients and this is one way we share experiences together," he says.
“We always love having fun here. It starts with putting the braces on, and after we take the braces off, we dance and celebrate."