Meet Dr. Tamara N. Shamlian

Dr. Tamara N. Shamlian is a Board Certified Orthodontist and will treat your case to the highest standard of care. As a graduate of the USC post-graduate specialty residency in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics and with a Master’s degree in Craniofacial Biology, Dr. Shamlian has the expertise to treat all your orthodontic needs.  Learn more about Dr. Shamlian’s education and interests below, and see why Clarity Orthodontics is the practice for you and your family!

Dr. Tamara N. Shamlian was born and raised in Fresno, California where she attended K-12. While attending Clovis West High School she was the flute section leader of the award-winning CW marching band, concert band and wind ensemble and dedicated her free time to volunteering at Children’s Hospital Central California—now Valley Children’s Hospital. She graduated with honors and earned the title of salutatorian in 2003.

After graduation, Dr. Shamlian accepted a prestigious scholarship from the Smittcamp Family Honors College to attend Fresno State University as an honor student. While at Fresno State, Tamara served as president of the Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society, Epsilon Lambda chapter and was involved in other campus organizations. In 2007, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology—graduating as a President’s Scholar.

Dr. Shamlian then moved to New York City to attend New York University’s College of Dentistry. Her academic and clinical skill allowed her to serve as a peer mentor for other dental students while at NYU. She was selected by the Dean to serve on the peer review and ethics committee for the College of Dentistry, and was appointed to be a student administrator for her group dental practice. Volunteering for local and international dental outreaches while at NYU, Dr. Shamlian met other like-minded students and doctors with whom she has continued to collaborate in giving back. She enjoyed living in the Big Apple—seeing Broadway shows and taking advantage of all the artistic and culinary experiences New York City has to offer.

After earning her D.D.S. degree in 2011, Dr. Shamlian returned to Fresno and was accepted into a one-year general dental residency at UCSF/Community Regional Medical Center and the VA hospital. During this time, she was able to enhance her knowledge base in dentistry and provide dental care to Veterans and the indigent population of the Central Valley.  During this year, she gained valuable experience in the emergency room and the operating room.

Dr. Shamlian knew that she wanted to become a specialist in orthodontics, and in order to make this dream a reality, she accepted a position at the world-renowned post-doctoral orthodontic specialty program at the Herman Ostrow school of Dentistry of USC. There, she received academic and clinical training from pioneers and elite practitioners in the field of orthodontics. Dr. Shamlian was trained to stay on the forefront of modern orthodontics, utilizing digital intraoral scanners, 3-D printing, and miniscrews to enhance patient treatment, in addition to all conventional methods. Dr. Shamlian also took the opportunity to practice her passion for teaching—serving as an assistant instructor of orthodontics for dental students of USC. While pursuing her Master’s degree at USC, her research focus was on long-term surgical outcomes of neonates and infants with craniofacial syndromes. She worked closely with senior faculty and collaborated with international orthodontists and researchers at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

The program at USC also afforded her the opportunity to complete two 2-week externships in Thailand and South Korea as an ambassador of the USC Orthodontic department. In 2015, Dr. Shamlian earned her Master of Science degree in Craniofacial Biology in addition to her dental specialty Certificate in Orthodontics. Dr. Shamlian currently holds an attending faculty position at the Dental General Practice Residency program at Community Regional Medical Center, Fresno.

Dr. Shamlian is an active member of many orthodontic societies through which she stays current on the ever-changing technologies in orthodontics. She provides modern metal and clear ceramic braces, and clear aligner treatment for all ages. She is certified in Invisalign, and INBRACE hidden braces. Dr. Shamlian loves creating beautiful smiles and enriching the lives of children, teens and adults alike by giving them the confidence of a healthy smile and educating them to maintain good dental health. At Clarity Orthodontics, our goal is to provide our patients with great customer service and high-quality custom orthodontic treatment in a fun and welcoming environment!

Family and Community

Dr. Tamara Shamlian is fortunate to be near her family in Fresno. She has a father, brother and sister in the dental field with whom she collaborates.  Outside the office, she loves spending time with her family, cycling and running, playing the flute, participating in dental outreaches and traveling. She is thrilled to be a part of the Fresno community and to share the gift of a beautiful smile with all of her wonderful patients.

Professional Affiliations

• American Association of Orthodontists (aaoinfo.org)
• American Board of Orthodontics (americanboardortho.com)
• American Dental Association (ada.org)
• Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists (pcsortho.org)
• California Dental Association (cda.org)
• Fresno-Madera Dental Society (fmds.com)
• Dougherty and Tanaka Foundation (dtofoundation.org)
• Fresno area Chamber of Commerce (fresnochamber.com)

Volunteer Organizations with whom Dr. Shamlian has partnered

• CDA Cares (cdafoundation.org/cda-cares)
• Team Smile (teamsmile.org)
• Henry Schein Cares Foundation (hscaresfoundation.org)
• Smile Train (smiletrain.org)
• Armenian Missionary Association (amaa.org)