Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Spring 2020 - 27

Faculty Files

People in Orthodontics

Dr. Pouya Momtaz
Dr. Prashanti Bollu
PCSO Bulletin Section Editor

Dr. Pouya Momtaz
School of Dental Medicine
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV

Dr. Pouya Momtaz is currently serving as a parttime faculty member in the Advanced Education
in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics residency program at the University of Nevada, Las
Vegas (UNLV). His focus is on digital orthodontics
and in-house aligner treatment.

obtained from traditional surgical biopsies. The
goal of this study was to assist general practitioners in detecting potential cancerous mucosal
changes as early as possible. This in turn would
result in early referral, diagnosis, and treatment
for patients and improve outcomes.

Dr. Momtaz was born and raised in Boston,
Massachusetts. His parents were first-generation immigrants from Iran and overcame many
difficult challenges to establish their life in the
United States. His father completed his specialty
training as a physician, and his mother obtained
her master's degree in nursing. He was inspired
by his parents to pursue a career in health care,
and after losing his father to cancer, Dr. Momtaz
pledged to achieve this goal of becoming a health
care provider. Dr. Momtaz attributes his success
and work ethic to his parents.

After graduating from Tufts University, Dr.
Momtaz moved to New York to attend a general
practice residency program at St. Barnabas Hospital. During this year-long program, Dr. Momtaz built on the diagnostic and clinical skills he
developed as a dental student at Tufts University.
At St. Barnabas Hospital, Dr. Momtaz developed
an interest in laser therapy. His desire to learn
more about the use of lasers in dentistry led him
to his next research topic. This project tested the
effectiveness of laser therapy as an adjunct to
periodontal therapy. Patients were tested for systemic markers of inflammation before and after
periodontal treatment to determine the effectiveness of treatment on their systemic health. When
not in the St. Barnabas dental clinics, Dr. Momtaz
could be found in the orthodontic clinics, shadowing and assisting the orthodontic residents. It
was during this time that Dr. Momtaz found his
passion for orthodontics.

Dr. Momtaz's academic journey to becoming a
health care provider began in Boston, where he
attended Boston University. In 2002, he obtained
his bachelor's degree in psychology while fulfilling the necessary premedical requirements. After
losing his father, he dedicated the next four years
of his life to working at the Dana-Farber Cancer
Institute, which is one of the top cancer research
and treatment centers in the United States.
At Dana-Farber, he worked in the pharmacy
department, helping care for patients by making
customized medications as well as investigational medications undergoing clinical trials. It
was during this time that Dr. Momtaz decided he
wanted a career producing smiles and decided to
pursue dentistry.
In 2007, Dr. Momtaz started his first year as
a dental student at Tufts University School of
Dental Medicine. While at Tufts, he continued
his desire to help fight cancer by researching
the efficiency of various oral cancer screening
methods. His research tested minimally invasive
screening methods such as fluorescence (using
the VelScope) and brush biopsy techniques of
oral mucosa and compared them with results

Spring 2020 PCSO Bulletin

In 2012, Dr. Momtaz turned down an offer to
remain as chief resident at St. Barnabas Hospital in order to move across the country as an
orthodontic fellow at UNLV. The UNLV fellowship
provided a greater experience in orthodontics and
strengthened his desire to be an orthodontist.
While in the fellowship, he developed an interest
in digital orthodontics, indirect bonding, and clear
aligner treatment.
Upon acceptance into the UNLV Advanced Education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics residency program, Dr. Momtaz continued
pursuing his interest in digital orthodontics and
clear aligner therapy. The focus of his master's
thesis was rotational control using clear aligners,
and he tested the efficacy of using attachments
as an adjunct to correct the position of a rotated

Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Spring 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Spring 2020