Meet Our Doctors

Dr. James A. Gainer is a general dentist with years of training and experience in a vast array of dental procedures. He is a graduate of the University of Maryland Dental School, one of the best schools in the country. Since graduating with his DDS degree in 1984, he has performed general dentistry while continuing his education with several postgraduate courses in different fields of dentistry. Dr. Gainer provided caring and precise dental care at his former practice in Lexington Park, Maryland, from 1992 until selling his practice to relocate to North Carolina in 2011. Since February 14, 2011, Dr. Gainer has been providing the residents of Wilmington, North Carolina, with the same great dental care.

Dr. Gainer is married to Lisa Gainer, and they have two children, Clark and Madi.

Dr. Gainer emphasizes the comfort of each individual and is thorough in explaining his procedures to further ease his patients. His approach to your treatment begins with patiently listening to your concerns. After a complete examination, he reviews and discusses the diagnosis and treatment options with you. He realizes the importance of staying up-to-date with the latest advancements in dentistry and continues his education accordingly. This continued development enables him to provide his patients with the best quality of care in the field. Dr. Gainer has a wide range of experience in several different areas of dentistry, from cosmetic and restorative dentistry to root canals and implant crowns. He is considered a preferred Invisalign® dentist and is able to straighten the whole family’s teeth without the discomfort or bulky appearance of braces.

Dr. James Overton is a native of Salisbury, North Carolina. He is a graduate of Davidson College with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and chemistry. After graduation, he served in the U.S. Navy for six years as a deck officer aboard a ship in the West Pacific. After the Navy, he graduated from UNC School of Dentistry with a DDS degree. He and his wife, Becky, moved to Wilmington after graduation in 1974 and opened a general dentistry practice. Jim is a member of the American Dental Association and the North Carolina Dental Society, past president of the Wilmington Tri-County Dental Society, and president of the Eastern Prosthetic Study Club. He and Becky are members of First Presbyterian Church, where he has served as a member of the Board of Deacons and the Chancel Choir. His hobbies include woodworking and sailing.

His practice has seen the transition to digital dentistry, which has involved constant continuing education and training for him and his team. Dr. Overton has merged his practice with the gifted Dr. Gainer and his amazing team and is pleased to see the addition of Dr. Yulia Paterson to the team. This combination of doctors and team will allow a wider range of services and hours for patients, with the same gentle care and state-of-the-art dentistry in Wilmington.

Dr. Adrian LePendu entered the dental field at the age of 17 as a dental assistant in the Army Reserve. This commenced his love of dentistry, and he continued to the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry on a Navy scholarship program. Upon graduation in 2004, he was elected to the Tau Kappa Omega Honor Society and then served in the Navy for three years. During his Naval career, he completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency and became the solo dentist on the forward-deployed USS Harpers Ferry out of Sasebo, Japan. His favorite part of the Navy was providing the troops with the care they deserved and the opportunity to provide dental care to impoverished areas of the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia.

Dr. LePendu is married to Christine, and they have two boys, Andre and Lucas. He and his family have enjoyed the last eight years in the beautiful outdoors of Colorado with skiing and snowboarding, biking, hiking and climbing. He also enjoys volleyball, home improvement, motorcycles and working on his ’68 VW. Dr. LePendu and his family have always dreamed of living by the ocean and feel Wilmington will be a perfect fit for them.

Dr. William Watt was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, where he spent most of his time with his two siblings on the soccer field and playing in the woods. After high school, he attended the University of Evansville in Southern Indiana, where he studied graphic design. During this time, he became aware of the world of dentistry and was intrigued by the “little art projects in peoples mouths”. Realizing that dentistry was a combination of science, biology, art and personal interactions, he launched himself at the opportunity to study a profession that combined so many of his interests.

He attended the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, the top rated dental program in the country, and then began his dental career with the United States Navy. Dr. Watt served at Camp Lejeune for four years, completing an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency where he was able to learn from expert dental specialists to enhance the care to his patients. During the four years of treating Marines and Sailors, Dr. Watt fell in love with North Carolina and decided to stay in the Wilmington area.

Dedicated to all aspects of oral health, Dr. Watt especially values his time spent with patients. It is his goal to initiate conversations about dental health that make patients feel comfortable, allowing them to guide their own treatment with confidence. It is Dr. Watt’s passion to combine art, science and experience to provide high quality, aesthetic dental work that lasts.

In his spare time, Dr. Watt enjoys being outside. Surfing is his life outside of work (please do not get him started talking about waves, or he might not leave the room). But he also enjoys seeing live music, playing pickleball and tennis, biking, and traveling. On quieter nights or rainy days, he enjoys watching a movie, housework and art projects.