Dr. Gary M. Heir, DMD

Expert Publications

• Ciguatera neurotoxin poisoning mimicking burning mouth syndrome.
• Doctor, why wasn't I told this before?
• Chronic orofacial pain. A practical approach to differential diagnosis.
• Prolonged gingival cold allodynia: a novel finding in patients with atypical odontalgia.
• The role of sensory input of the chorda tympani nerve and the number of fungiform papillae in burning mouth syndrome.
• Commentary on The price of freedom--a counterpoint by Dr Heir.
• Introduction to orofacial pain.
• Topical medications as treatment of neuropathic orofacial pain.
• Case report: diagnosis and management of trigeminal neuralgia and chronic paroxysmal hemicrania in a 43-year-old woman- oral and transmucosal pharamcologic mediations.
• Combined palliative and anti-inflammatory medications as treatment of temporomandibular joint disc displacement without reduction: a systematic review.
• The emerging specialty of orofacial pain.
• If only I knew...!
• Epilogue: if only we knew...
• Systematic review and recommendations for nonodontogenic toothache.

Media Releases

Get to know Dentist Dr. Gary M. Heir, who serves patients in Newark, New Jersey.

A seasoned clinician, Dr. Heir is a Full Professor, Program and Clinical Director of the Center for Temporomandibular Disorders and Orofacial Pain of the Department of Diagnostic Sciences at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. Recently he was given the honor of appointment as the Carmel Chair of Algesiology. He is a specialist in orofacial pain, a Past President of the American Board of Orofacial Pain and the American Academy of Orofacial Pain. Dr. Heir served under three New Jersey Governors on the New Jersey Governor’s Lyme Disease Advisory Commission

Orofacial Pain is the specialty of dentistry that encompasses the diagnosis, management and treatment of pain disorders of the jaw, mouth, face, head and neck. The specialty of Orofacial Pain is dedicated to the evidenced-based understanding of the underlying pathophysiology, etiology, prevention, and treatment of these disorders and improving access to interdisciplinary patient care.

Educated in the United States, Dr. Heir pursued undergraduate studies at Temple University, and received his Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry degree from the UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School in 1972.

On a professional level, Dr. Heir is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orofacial Pain and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orofacial Pain. He is past president of both of these organizations. Dr. Heir serves as a Commissioner and site inspector for the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association,  is an active member of the American Association for the Study of Headache, the American Dental Association, the Association of Migraine Disorders, the International Association for the Study of Pain, and the International Headache Society.

Over the past decade, Dr. Heir played a significant role alongside a committee of national orofacial pain program directors and the American Academy of Orofacial Pain to get orofacial pain recognized as the 12th specialty in dentistry by the American Dental Association in March 2020. He is also the signatory on the application to the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards for recognition of the American Board of Orofacial Pain as the official certifying Board for the specialty in March 2022.

An internationally recognized expert on orofacial pain, Dr. Heir has published papers, chapters and abstracts on topics related to the field of temporomandibular disorders and orofacial pain, He serves as the editor for the Orofacial Pain Neuroscience Section of The Journal of the American Dental Association, and also serves on the editorial boards of many other peer-reviewed journals.

Recommended Articles

• Floss Your Teeth the Right Way

  Alla Wheeler, RDH, MPA, associate professor of the Dental Hygiene Program at the New York University School of Dentistry, says that since the results of flossing are not immediate, most people do not think that the technique actually works.In reality, this is the best technique, as it does...

• Do I need to get my Wisdom Teeth Pulled?

  Wisdom tooth extraction is a surgical procedure used to remove one or more of the adult teeth present at the back of the mouth. It is usually done by an oral surgeon or a dentist. It is often done by opening the gum tissue over the tooth and then taking out the bone covering the tooth. The tissue...

• Treat Gum Disease for Healthier Blood Vessels

  Intensive treatment of gum diseases may help blood vessels and gums, reports a study published in, The New England Journal of Medicine. The study was conducted on 120 people who had severe gum disease, or peridontitis. In this condition, the gum line recedes and teeth loosens as the support is...

• Severe Stress and Depression May Cause Gum Disease

  According to a review published in the Journal of Periodontology, studies show a strong link between stress and gum disease. About 57% of the studies conducted displayed an accurate association between gum disease and stress-related symptoms, including distress, anxiety, depression, and...

• Magnolia Bark Extract Prevents Bad Breath

  According to the results of a study published in, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, magnolia bark extract contains chemicals that may prevent bad breath or halitosis. These compounds, called magnolol and honokiol, kill the bacteria that cause bad breath and cavities.In this study, nine...

• What is a Tooth Abscess?

  A tooth abscess refers to the accumulation of pus caused by a bacterial infection at the root of the tooth or between the tooth and gum. Abscess at the tip of the root is known as periapical abscess, while those found in the gums are referred to as periodontal abscesses. Tooth abscesses should be...