“Start by doing what’s necessary then do what’s possible... and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”
-St. Francis of Assisi
Lawrence E. Brecht
DDS
Founding Partner
Prosthodontist &
Maxillofacial Prosthodontist
Lawrence E. Brecht, DDS leads prosthodontics and maxillofacial prosthetics at NYCProsthodontics. Combining his deep expertise with leading-edge technology and aesthetic artistry, Dr. Brecht works closely with each patient to restore oral health while maintaining elegant form and exceptional function. A recognized leader and innovator in the field, Dr. Brecht holds academic appointments at leading university hospitals, serves on numerous professional boards, has published and lectured widely, and received awards for outstanding contributions to the field of maxillofacial prosthetics. He is one of the earliest pioneers of nasoalveolar molding (NAM) for infant cleft care and part of the team that developed the “Jaw-in-a-Day” technique for total jaw reconstruction in a single operation.
As a dedicated husband and father to three daughters, Dr. Brecht revels in the joyful chaos of home when their four grandsons come to visit. An avid American history buff, Dr. Brecht is the proud owner of a significant collection of American flags, including a few pre-Civil War in their varied and beautiful iterations. When he isn’t helping patients or playing with his grandsons, you will find Dr. Brecht doing research, off giving a lecture somewhere, writing papers, reading a biography, or out for a long run in the open air.
- Columbia College, Columbia University in the City of New York – Bachelor of Arts
- New York University College of Dentistry – Doctor of Dental Surgery (Class Salutatorian)
- Harvard School of Dental Medicine – Fellowship in Operative Dentistry
- Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School – General Practice Residency
- Veterans Administration Medical Center (New York, NY) – Certificate in Prosthodontics
- Veterans Administration Medical Center (New York, NY) – Certificate in Maxillofacial Prosthodontics (Chief Resident)
Current:
- Director of Maxillofacial Prosthetics – Department of Dental Medicine, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology, Lenox Hill Hospital, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Northwell Health
- Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor of Prosthodontics & Director of Maxillofacial Prosthetics, New York University College of Dentistry
- Clinical Associate Professor – Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, New York University Grossman School of Medicine
- Adjunct Associate Professor – Department of Head & Neck Surgery, Division of Surgery, University of Texas – MD Anderson Cancer Center
Past:
- Director of Dental Services – Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery/Department of Plastic Surgery – NYU Langone Medical Center (1992-2018)
- Adjunct Associate Professor of Prosthodontics – University of North Carolina School of Dentistry (2015-2017)
- Lecturer in Prosthodontics – Harvard School of Dental Medicine (1992-2000)
- Attending Prosthodontist – Montefiore Medical Center (1989-1995)
- American Dental Association, Member
- First District Dental Association, Member
- New York State Dental Association, Member
- American College of Prosthodontists, Past Board Director & Past-President of New York State Section
- Greater New York Academy of Prosthodontics, Fellow & Past-President
- American Academy of Maxillofacial Prosthetics, Fellow & Past-President
- Academy of Prosthodontics, Fellow
- International Team for Implantology (ITI), Fellow
- ITI Study Club of Greater New York, Director
- European Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, Associate Fellow
- New York Academy of Dentistry, Fellow
- American Cleft Palate Association, Member
- Articles and Book Chapters: Over 60 publications on prosthodontics, maxillofacial prosthetics and oral rehabilitation and reconstruction
- Textbook: “The Immediacy Concept” published in 2022 by Quintessence Publishers, (co-author)
- Andrew J. Ackerman Award from the American Academy of Maxillofacial Prosthetics (2020) for significant contributions to the art and science of Maxillofacial Prosthetics
- American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons Best Paper Award for 2017– “Total Face, Eyelids, Ears, Scalp and Skeletal Subunit Transplant Cadaver Simulation: The Culmination of Aesthetic, Craniofacial, and Microsurgery Principles” (co-author)
- American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons – Best Poster in 97th Annual Scientific Session for 2015 – “Clinical Outcome of Jaw-in-a-Day Total Maxillofacial Reconstruction” (co-author)
- American Association of Orthodontists – Joseph E. Johnson Award for Clinical Excellence to the 105th Annual Session of the for best table clinic “Nasoalveolar Molding in Infants Born with Clefts of the Lip” (co-author)
- American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons – Awarded Best Paper for 1999 in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (co-author)
- Faneuil D. Weisse Medal awarded for obtaining the second highest scholastic average for the four years of dental school
- New York Graduate Chapter of Sigma Epsilon Delta Fraternity Award presented for excellence in Fixed Partial Prosthesis
- Samuel Charles Miller Award presented to the senior dental student attaining the highest degree of knowledge and skill in Periodontology
- American Academy of Oral Pathology Award presented to the senior dental student who has shown outstanding interest, accomplishment, and promise in the field of Oral Pathology.
- Dr. Arthur N. Caplin Scholarship Award presented to the senior dental student who demonstrated excellence in Removable Prosthodontics
- Currently leading clinical research related to cleft care, maxillofacial reconstruction, and dental care of the patients with facial differences
- Member of team that developed ”Jaw-in-a-Day” (JIAD) technique for immediate reconstruction of the maxilla or mandible with microvascular composite flaps along with immediate implants and prosthetic rehabilitation
- Member of team that pioneered and developed the nasoalveolar molding technique and therapy (NAM) for the care of infants with a cleft
- Currently, the clinician in the US with longest history of NAM application in cleft care
- Given hundreds of invited lectures, presentations and hands-on workshops to dentists, plastic surgeons, and post-graduate dental and medical residents throughout the US and abroad on topics of immediate reconstruction throughout the oral cavity and maxillofacial region
- Advisor and consultant to companies developing technology and products for the dental and surgical specialties
- The Maxillofacial Foundation, President
- NextGenFace Foundation, Co-Founder and President
- myFace Foundation, past board member
- Forward Face Foundation, past board member
- Academy of Prosthodontics Foundation, past board member
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