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Gary Romeo
Gary Romeo: Responsible for Half the Straight Teeth in Westport!
Born and raised in Westport, Gary attended local schools and graduated from Staples High School in 1973. He then went on to UConn Storrs, earning a BS in Biology in 1977.
When it came time to choose a career, he had a strong family tradition to consider: His father had been a general dentist and subsequently an orthodontist in Westport having settled in town in 1946. David, his older brother, had already received his certificate in orthodontics and was also practicing in Westport. After weighing academic science and medicine, Gary opted for the family profession. He liked that orthodontics typically involved healthy patients and fewer emergencies, offering a better work-life balance. He enrolled in UConn Dental School and earned his DMD in 1981.
Next came a move to Chicago, where Gary completed an orthodontic residency at the University of Illinois, known for its strong research program. While there, he met his future wife, Sandy—a dental student who had volunteered as a training patient for orthodontic residents. Their story began when Gary performed her initial exam.
Gary returned to Westport in late 1983 and joined an orthodontic practice with his brother and a partner. A year later, after earning her own dental degree, Sandy moved to Connecticut to join him. They married in 1986, settled in Fairfield (where they still live), and raised three children: a son Nicholas (1990), a daughter Suzie (1994), and another son Ben (1997).
Gary and his brother David practiced together for almost 35 years, with offices in Westport and Norwalk, continuing a proud family legacy. Gary remained in full time practice through 2019, when he began a gradual retirement. He sold his partnership share, and continued working part-time until 2024, when the practice no longer needed his help. Sandy, meanwhile, still practices general dentistry in Westport.
A lifelong skier and golfer, Gary now has more time to enjoy both. He spends about 25 days a season on the slopes—mostly in Vermont, with occasional trips out West—and once spring arrives, you’ll find him on the Shorehaven links a few times a week, the same course where he first learned the game as a kid.
Gary looks forward to making the most of retirement and getting involved in the many activities offered by the Y’s Men—while also forging new friendships along the way.
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