Mark Urata, MD, DDS

Mark Urata, MD, DDS

Division Head; Chief, Division of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery
Attending Surgeon
Chief, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of USC
Chair, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC
Audrey Skirball Kenis Endowed Chair, Keck School of Medicine of USC

Mark M. Urata, MD, DDS, is board certified in both oral and maxillofacial surgery and plastic and reconstructive surgery making him uniquely qualified to lead the Division of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery.

Dr. Urata's appointment became effective on November 1, 2007. He had been associated with Children's Hospital Los Angeles as director of Craniofacial Surgery and medical director in the Division of Plastic Surgery. He is currently director of Craniofacial and Pediatric Plastic Surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and co-director of the Cleft Team at Shriner's Hospital in Los Angeles.

Certified by both the American Board of Plastic Surgery (2005-present) and the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (2007-present), he specializes in the most complex craniofacial anomalies, including craniosynostosis, syndromic reconstruction, and jaw deformities. An accomplished author and speaker, he is an associate professor of plastic surgery in the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) and a research assistant professor in the Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology of the USC School of Dentistry.

Dr. Urata trained for 18 years following his undergraduate education. He received his dental degree from the USC School of Dentistry and his medical degree from the USC Keck School of Medicine. He completed a residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery before matriculating to general surgery and then completing a residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery at USC. He then moved across town where he completed a fellowship in craniofacial surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Recently, Dr. Urata received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study the molecular mechanisms of cleft palate. He also received further NIH funding through a large multi-center study aimed at defining possible facial patterns in autism.

Dr. Urata is the principal investigator of the International Craniofacial Children's Fund (ICCF), an independently funded $5 million project at Children's Hospital Los Angeles to enable children with severe craniofacial abnormalities from medically underserved countries to benefit from care they might otherwise be unable to receive. He is co-principal investigator of both the Teledentistry/Telecraniofacial Program and the Tulare County eHealth Project, designed to use state-of-the-art technology to deliver services to underserved populations.

Education

Medical School

University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine; School of Dentistry

Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California; MD

Internship

Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center: General Surgery

Residency

Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center: Plastic Surgery; Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center: General Surgery; USC; Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Los Angeles County-University of Southern California (LAC/USC) Medical Center

Fellowship

University of California Los Angeles Medical Center: Craniofacial Surgery

Accomplishments

Certification

American Board of Plastic Surgery; American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery; American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Memberships

American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons (2006-present)

Plastic Surgery Research Council (2006-present)

American Cleft Palate/Craniofacial Association (2003-present)

California Society of Plastic Surgeons (1999-present)

Los Angeles Society of Plastic Surgeons (1999-present)

American Society of Plastic Surgeons (1999-present)

American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (1994-present)

American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (1989-present)

Southern California Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (1989-present)

Marsh Robinson Academy (1989-present)

American Dental Association (1994-present)

California Dental Association (1994-present)

San Gabriel Valley Dental Association (1994-present)

Southern California Japanese-American Dental Society (1994-present)

Southern California Society of Dental Anesthesia (1989-present)

LAC/USC Medical Center Health Research Association (1993-present)

Specialty Interests

Complex craniofacial anomalies; craniosynostosis, syndromic reconstruction and jaw deformities (including Apert, Crouzon and Treacher-Collins Syndrome)

Publications

Urata M. Craniofacial Surgery: The Old frontier. Conference on Orthodontic Advances in Science and Technology. Asilomar, CA. 2008.

Hosokawa R., Urata M, Han J, Zehnaly A, Bringas P, Jr, Nonaka K, Chai Y. Tgf-? signaling regulates craniofacial muscle development through a non-autonomous method. American Association for Dental Research. Dallas, TX. 2008.

Hosokawa R., Urata M, Han J, Zehnaly A, Bringas P, Jr, Nonaka K, Chai Y. Tgf-? mediated Msx2 expression controls caudal region of skull development. International Association for Dental Research. New Orleans, LA. 2007.

Urata, M.M. and Lee, S. Craniofacial Tumors: Fibrous Dysplasia and Neurofibromatosis. In Thaller S., Bradley J., Garri J. Craniofacial Surgery. Informa Healthcare USA, Inc. New York, NY. 2008.

Reinisch, J.R., Li, W-Y. Urata, M.M., Complications of Cleft Lip and Palate. In Losee, J. Kirschner, R.

Santa Monica Outpatient Center

Santa Monica Outpatient Center
1301 20th St
Santa Monica, CA 90404
United States