This month’s featured TAO member runs a practice in the Dallas area that is as unique as his speciality and his story. Dr. Fashemo has dedicated his life to helping patients with cleft lip and palate and craniofacial anomalies in his hospital-based clinic. 

Dr. Fashemo’s clinic isn’t your average orthodontist’s office, inside or out. His private practice is located inside the Medical City Dallas Hospital and approximately 75-80% of his patients have cleft lip and palate or craniofacial defects. As if that didn’t keep him busy enough, he’s also the Medical Director of Craniofacial Orthodontics at the same hospital and runs another private practice in Allen, Texas. 

Dr. Fashemo got his start in his home country of Nigeria. He was born in Southwestern Nigeria and grew up speaking English and Yoruba. Dr. Fashemo attended dental school in Nigeria and practiced as a general dentist there before doing his residency in Lagos University Teaching Hospital. After being accepted to a residency program at the Eastman Dental Center, he left Nigeria to pursue orthodontics in Rochester, New York. 

The pivotal moment in his career that put him on the path of craniofacial orthodontics was during this residency. The director and chair of his department, the late Dr. J. Daniel Subtelny, had a son born with a cleft lip and palate, which inspired him to work in the field. He was the pioneer orthodontist in the United States who provided orthodontic treatment for patients with cleft lip and palate. While working with Dr. J. Daniel Subtelny, Dr. Fashemo was able to get hands-on experience working with these patients, and he never looked back.

When he finished residency, Dr. Fashemo took a hospital-based craniofacial fellowship at the Indiana University School of Dentistry/Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. After working there for 5 years, he was recruited by HCA and Medical City Dallas Hospital to open a craniofacial orthodontic center at the hospital, which he has now run for over 14 years and calls his “happy place.” 

One of the reasons Dr. Fashemo loves orthodontics is because of the long-term nature and slow pace of treatment.Seeing patients and their families over the course of many years means that they can develop meaningful relationships. Not only that, but these intensive treatments have a life-changing impact on his patients who are dealing with complex craniofacial anomalies. Dr. Fashemo often says that “the face is the door to the world,” and he’s grateful to be able to help his patients have normal, functional teeth and jaws and feel happy with their smiles.

The majority of patients at Fourth Dimension Orthodontics and Craniofacial Orthopedics were born with facial birth defects. Cleft lip and palate is the most common, though Dr. Fashemo also sees patients with craniosynostosis and other issues that affect how teeth and skulls develop.  

These patients usually need multiple rounds of surgical interventions, done in conjunction with orthodontic treatment. Dr. Fashemo is part of an craniofacial anomalies team, which means that patient treatment is developed in conjunction with multiple specialists. This might include plastic surgeons, craniofacial surgeons, pediatric dentists, developmental pediatricians, speech and language pathologists, neurosurgeons, oral maxillofacial surgeons, prosthodontists, general dentists, etc.  These cases are complex, and patients and their families are often amazed at the transformations these talented medical professionals are able to achieve. 

Dr. Fashemo loves his job and is dedicated to serving his community with his knowledge and expertise. We’re honored to count Dr. Fashemo as a member of the Texas Association of Orthodontists.

To read more about our member orthodontists and learn about orthodontic treatment, how to care for your braces, and more, check out our blog.