Dr. Natalie Chen, DMD, MD

Dr. Natalie Chen spends most of her week on dental implants and the bone work that makes them possible. She earned her DMD at the Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine in Pomona, then her MD at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and completed her oral and maxillofacial surgery residency at UCLA Medical Center. She joined Molly Irvine in 2014 and also operates at Molly Newport Beach.

Upper back teeth are a common challenge in her practice, because the sinus often sits close to where the implant needs to go. She performs sinus lifts, either through the implant site or from the side, and uses platelet-rich fibrin, made from a small sample of the patient’s own blood, to support healing in grafts and extraction sites. For patients who qualify, she offers Teeth in a Day, placing implants and a temporary tooth or bridge in one visit. She plans every case on a 3D CBCT scan and shows patients the plan before anything is scheduled.

Dr. Chen is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. She wrote Molly’s guide to implant costs in Southern California, and patients say she is just as clear in person: one written estimate, the reasons behind each line, and what insurance is likely to cover. She speaks Mandarin, which many Irvine families appreciate.