Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Fall 2016 - 42

New and Younger Members Dr. Tamara Shamlian Fresno, CA In what year did you graduate from your postgraduate orthodontic program, and how many years have you been in practice? In 2015, I completed my orthodontic residency and earned my Master of Science degree in Craniofacial Biology from The Ostrow School of Dentistry of the University of Southern California. For the past 15 months since graduation, I have been practicing orthodontics in corporate and private practices. Dr. Tamara Shamlian Fresno, CA Where is your current practice located? I recently opened my own private practice, Clarity Orthodontics, as a solo specialty practice in Fresno, CA. Prior to this venture, I had been practicing in several corporate group practices as well as in my father's private dental practice. My father, brother, and younger sister are dentists in Fresno, and it has been a wonderful and unique experience practicing alongside them. Are you currently certified by the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO)? During residency I passed the written board examination; immediately following graduation, I presented my six cases for the clinical ABO examination in St. Louis, and earned my board certification. During my residency at USC, our chairman, Dr. Glenn T. Sameshima, and other faculty encouraged us from day one to make it a goal to achieve ABO board certification. I'm grateful that the program prepared me to feel confident in pursuing this goal. Being certified by the ABO is something I take great pride in, and I strive to uphold the ABO standards of excellence in my clinical practice of orthodontics. Are you involved in any professional or nonprofessional community service in your area? I greatly enjoy being involved in the community through dentistry and education. Annually, my parents, siblings, and I participate in local and global dental outreach, providing free dental treatment and education to the underserved through CDA Cares, TeamSmile®, and other private organizations. Teaching is another passion 42 of mine. I recently began teaching as an attending orthodontist for the general practice residency at Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno. I graduated from this particular residency myself, in 2012, and wanted to help expand the didactic and clinical orthodontic curriculum for the dental residents. Do you believe the curriculum within your postgraduate orthodontic program had sufficient depth and breadth to prepare you for the clinical practice of orthodontic care? Yes, not only was my residency at USC sufficient, I believe the curriculum went above and beyond in preparing me and my colleagues for clinical excellence and private practice. Our full-time, part-time, and visiting faculty from all over the world helped to train us in all aspects of the ever-advancing field of orthodontics. Our practice management curriculum, taught by Ms. Ellen Grady, truly empowered me to begin planning and designing my own private practice while I was still in residency. Our training in practice management covered a breadth of topics, from office design to hiring and firing, patient scheduling, and lease contracts and purchase agreements. Looking back, what has been the most positive aspect of your residency since graduation? Being a USC graduate has given me the distinct opportunity to network with some of the movers and shakers of the profession. The USC orthodontic alumni association supports the residency by offering to its students unique opportunities to travel around the world to learn directly from experts in the field. I was fortunate to travel to South Korea and Thailand during my time at USC Ortho to discuss cases one-on-one with pioneers in the field of orthodontic miniscrews. Other residents have had the pleasure of traveling to Japan, Italy, Brazil, and other countries for international orthodontic conferences. Such opportunities allow USC residents to remain at the forefront of technologies and orthodontic techniques in the field. PCSO Bulletin  Fall 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Fall 2016