Meet Dr. Nader Afshari

Dr. Nader Afshari, DDS

Most patients call him Dr. Nader. He was the kid who took things apart just to understand how they worked, and the science student who could not stand not knowing something. He put both halves together at dental school, training in a program with no specialists on hand, which meant he learned to handle complex cases himself instead of sending them away. Thirty years later, that's still how he practices.

Dr. Nader was an early adopter of the techniques other dentists were still avoiding, from expanders in the late 1990s to implants and facial injectables in the 2000s. Today his focus is metal-free, biocompatible care and the connection between your mouth and the rest of your body, from sleep to inflammation to longevity.

What patients remember, though, is not the training. It's that he truly cares and he shows that through listening to understand, educating patients well and using what he calls his dental ninja skills. That means he's extremely gentle and always has the goal of patients leaving his office better than when they came in, physically and mentally. He's had patients fall asleep during treatment and cry happy tears when the work is done.

Outside the office Dr. Nader is into yoga, kickboxing, and jiu-jitsu. He also restores old cars in his garage, which he calls his meditation, and the same patient, hands-on care goes into every one. He's his wife's biggest fan and enjoys spending time with her and their children.