I graduated from UCLA School of Dentistry in 1990 and first practiced at a VA Hospital in Long Beach, CA and then in a children’s clinic in Southgate, CA.
When I finished my specialties in Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, I moved to Portland to be closer to my wife’s family. Working with children and young people came early to me.
I was a Junior Assistant Scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts when I graduated from High School and one of my first jobs was as a pre-school teacher. After college, I became a middle school Science teacher and worked with tweens. Working with children of all ages before becoming a Pediatric Dentist and an Orthodontist gave me insights into child behavior that has been invaluable.
Children see the world with fresh eyes and unique perspectives that always surprise and delight me. Each child comes in with their own excitement and their own concerns. The most rewarding part of my job as a Pediatric Dentist is when I turn a shy, worried kid into an excited and happy patient who is a little sad to leave and looks forward to coming back to the dentist. My career goal is to have children learn the skills to maintain and enjoy a lifetime of healthy, beautiful smiles.
Education and Experience
- Bachelor of Science in Biology—University of California Los Angeles
- Teaching Credential—University of California Los Angeles
- Doctor of Dental Surgery—University of California Los Angeles
- General Practice Residency—Long Beach CA Veteran’s Medical Center
- Masters of Science in Oral Biology—University of California Los Angeles
- Pediatric Dental Residency—University of California Los Angeles
- Orthodontic Residency—University of California Los Angeles
During three years of my post-doctoral education, I participated in a craniofacial disorders clinic and had a fellowship in Psychological Disorders at UCLA. These experiences gave me a better understanding of challenges that some of my patients face, both physically and psychologically.
My dual specialties have positioned me at the intersection of children with orthodontic problems, mostly looking at early crowding, cross bites, and space maintenance.
My lectures and presentations to other doctors have involved maintaining space for the permanent teeth and helping permanent teeth erupt properly.
Surprisingly, although I see orthodontic problems in children as young as one year of age, I usually recommend waiting for a more ideal treatment time, such as either 8 or 12.
Professional Affiliations
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
- Oregon Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
- American Board of Pediatric Dentistry , Board Certified
- American Dental Association
- Oregon Dental Association, 130th President 2023-2024
- Multnomah Dental Society
Outside the Office
Born and raised in the Los Angeles Harbor area, after graduation I moved to Oregon in 1994 to be closer to my wife’s family and to have a better place to raise my children. Dr. Fariba Mutschler and I met at UCLA School of Dentistry and married in 1988. We have two sons, Brian and Michael, who make our lives so much more complete. As Michael, our youngest, goes off to college and moves out of the house, we have more time to work on our garden, enjoy the beauty of the Northwest, and possibly travel to more dental meetings.
I love Oregon’s clean air, the many shades of green, and the incredible diversity of clouds in the sky. Rain just keeps us clean and green! I enjoy all sorts of different ways of moving: walking with my wife, running marathons, road bicycling with Cycle Oregon, mountain biking on local trails, motorcycle riding on street and trail, kayaking, and of course flying off to exotic locations whenever I get time off from work.
My family is very artistic and my older son has decided to make a career of it by obtaining a degree in Illustration from California College of the Arts and actually getting a job drawing mobile game app illustrations. The art of dentistry has been my passion for the last couple of decades, making beautiful teeth with white fillings and braces.
