Dr. Mason Bates was raised in Houston, Texas and will forever love a good pair of boots, Tex-Mex food, and country music. He and his wife, Courtney, have two beautiful children, Brinley and Bauer. Dr. Bates purchased the orthodontic practice of Dr. Mark Blanchette (now retired) in August of 2021 and is honored to carry on his legacy of compassionate and excellent, patient-focused care. Dr. Bates prides himself on designing beautiful smiles while also building lasting relationships with his patients and their families. The Bates family has loved becoming a part of the Lynchburg community and consider themselves blessed to raise their family here. 

Outside of the office, Dr. Bates maintains a strong commitment to ministry, mentorship, and giving back to the Lynchburg community. Dr. Bates and his family are members of Heritage Baptist Church. They are avid supporters of Young Life, Hope Smiles, and various other non-profit and ministry-focused organizations. Dr. Bates also periodically volunteers his time and dental expertise at the Free Clinic in downtown Lynchburg. 

In addition to his faith, family, and orthodontics, Dr. Bates is passionate about all things outdoors. He loves fly fishing, shooting/hunting, backpacking, snow sports, ice hockey, golfing, exercising, traveling, and reading.

Dr. Bates earned his Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University, graduating with honors in 2014. He then earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Dentistry in 2019, graduating at the top of his class. Thereafter, Dr. Bates completed his specialty training in orthodontics at one of the nation’s most prestigious residency programs, Virginia Commonwealth University, where he received his Graduate Certificate in Orthodontics and Master of Science in Dentistry degree in 2021. To further demonstrate his commitment to excellence in orthodontics and high quality patient care, Dr. Bates further studied to become a board certified orthodontist, receiving his certification by the American Board of Orthodontics in 2022. 

Dr. Bates has been the recipient of numerous awards for academic and research excellence, including an international award for his research in maxillofacial prosthetics and an award from the Southern Association of Orthodontists for his research on Invisalign. He has authored two internationally published research articles and is a reviewer for The Angle Orthodontist, one of the orthodontic speciality’s most renowned peer-reviewed journals.