Faculty

Dr. Vernon P. Burke is an accomplished oral and maxillofacial surgeon based in El Paso, Texas. Originally from Pocatello, Idaho, he served in the U.S. Navy during the Gulf War before pursuing a career in medicine. He earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the University of Connecticut and then went on to complete his Doctor of Medicine degree and general surgery certificate from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Dr. Burke further specialized in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a six-year residency at Louisiana State University in New Orleans. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and has expertise in a wide range of procedures, including cleft lip and palate surgery, orthognathic surgery, facial trauma and reconstruction, and TMJ treatment.

In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Burke is a respected leader in the field. He is the past president of the Texas Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and an alternate delegate for the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. He also holds the position of department chair of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Pediatric/Hospital Dentistry at El Paso Children's Hospital.

Dr. Burke is known for his commitment to charitable work, including co-founding a cleft and craniofacial clinic in Juárez, Mexico. He has been recognized with the Frist Humanitarian Award and the 2021 Humanitarian Award from the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Dr. Hans Brockhoff is a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon with fellowship training in head and neck oncology and microvascular reconstruction. He holds a dental degree from the University of Southern California School of Dentistry and a medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. He completed his residency at Parkland Hospital in Dallas and his fellowship at the University of Michigan.  

His clinical practice focuses on the surgical management of head and neck cancers including oral cavity, oropharynx, salivary gland, thyroid, and skull base. Additionally, he performs complex facial reconstruction using free tissue transfers and microneural surgery. He has extensive experience in correction of defects of the facial structures, maxillofacial trauma, and oral reconstruction.

Dr. Brockhoff is the founding and current program director of the El Paso Head & Neck and Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship. This fellowship is one of approximately 13 in the United States for oral and maxillofacial surgery in the area of oncologic surgery. It is a two-year training program that offers advanced surgical training in head and neck cancer and microvascular reconstruction.

Currently, Dr. Brockhoff is the chief of the Division of Head & Neck Oncology and Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery at El Paso Children’s Hospital and an assistant clinical professor at Texas Tech Health El Paso. He has an additional appointment as an adjunct professor at the UT Health San Antonio. His areas of research are primarily in head and neck oncology as well as trauma and reconstructive surgery.

Dr. Samuel Clarot grew up in Phoenix, the son of a nurse and a chemist. He attended the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he graduated with a B.S. in biochemistry and molecular biology with honors. He attended the University of California, San Francisco, where he obtained his Doctorate of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.). Dr. Clarot went on to attend Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans for residency training in oral and maxillofacial surgery and was chief resident in his final year. While at LSU, he also obtained his M.D. completed a general surgery internship.
 
Dr. Clarot traveled to numerous clinics in rural areas of Texas to provide oral and maxillofacial surgery services to patients for two years prior to joining High Desert Oral & Facial Surgery in El Paso. He is a board certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon and a member of many OMS organizations.

Dr. Natasha Fürchtgott was born and raised in San José, Costa Rica. She attended dental school at the University of Costa Rica and was awarded the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery in 2008.

She completed a two-year internship, residency, and received a Master of Science degree in oral and maxillofacial surgery at The Ohio State University in 2014. Dr. Fürchtgott is fellowship-trained in pediatric craniomaxillofacial surgery, which she completed at the University of Pittsburgh in 2015.

 Dr. Fürchtgott is board certified by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

She has co-authored the chapters “The Use of Lasers in Maxillofacial Surgery” and “Revision Surgery for Cleft Malformations” for the third edition of “Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery,” by Raymond J. Fonseca, D.M.D.

Her clinical practice special interests lie in treating pediatric craniofacial anomalies as well as providing advanced complex implant rehabilitation.

Professional Affiliations

• Fellow: American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• Fellow: The International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• Member: American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association
• Member: Texas Dental Association

Dr. Blake Nguyen Lam's journey in oral and maxillofacial surgery began in Kien Giang, Vietnam, before his family relocated to Houston. His passion for oral surgery emerged during his third-year rotation in general surgery at UT Southwestern Medical School, influenced by his background in woodworking, which helped develop the precise manual dexterity essential for surgical procedures. His dedication to the field was further solidified through mentorship under Dr. Tiwana and externships at both Parkland Memorial Hospital and the University of Alabama Birmingham Hospital.

Dr. Lam's academic journey began at North Shore Senior High School, followed by undergraduate studies at the University of Houston – Downtown, where he earned a double major in chemistry and biology while maintaining dean's list status. During this time, he demonstrated his environmental leadership by establishing what would become the UHD sustainability garden and compost center. He then pursued his medical degree at the prestigious UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas.

Continuing his educational pursuit, Dr. Lam earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry, where he participated in the oral surgery honors program and served on the class executive committee. His exceptional performance led to his acceptance at the globally renowned Parkland Memorial Hospital for specialized training.

Dr. Lam's residency training was comprehensive, including a general surgery internship with a focus on pediatric surgery, trauma surgery, and critical care. He dedicated eight months to anesthesia training, encompassing hospital-based general anesthesia, pediatric anesthesia, and office-based sedation. His residency spanned multiple prestigious institutions, including Parkland Memorial Hospital, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Children's Dallas, and several others, where he ultimately served as chief resident.

His extensive training across five Level I and II trauma hospitals and tertiary care centers provided him with expertise in various surgical disciplines, including dentoalveolar surgery, head and neck trauma and reconstruction, orthognathic surgery, dental implantology, facial cosmetic surgery, and cleft lip and palate procedures.

Currently, Dr. Lam specializes in dentoalveolar surgery, dental implantology, TMJ surgery, pathology, orthognathic surgery, and facial cosmetic procedures. He maintains an active presence in the surgical community through speaking engagements and membership in local and national societies. His practice is distinguished by the use of advanced 3D technologies for surgical planning, allowing him to design custom surgical splints and guides for optimal patient outcomes.

Dr. Pugao was born in Manila, Philippines, but grew up in the quiet town of Andrews, Texas. He attended Southwestern Adventist University and received his Bachelor of Science degree in medical technology.

After working a few years as a medical technologist, Dr. Pugao earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Loma Linda University in 2007. In 2010, he received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine—New Orleans. From there, he completed his post-graduate training in oral and maxillofacial surgery at LSU which included a general surgery internship certificate.

Dr. Pugao practices a broad scope of surgical treatments to the head and neck.  His professional affiliations include memberships with the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Michael Siew was born and raised in Seattle. As the son of two dentists, he wanted to follow in their footsteps. He graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in neurobiology at the University of Washington. He remained at UW for dental school, where he was inducted into Omicron Kappa Upsilon. He was also awarded the Earl C. Maston Scholarship and the International College of Dentists Frank Burns Guthrie Memorial Scholarship. Prior to joining his oral and maxillofacial surgery residency, he completed a one-year internship in OMS at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. He graduated from UT Health Science Center San Antonio, where he obtained his M.D. and OMS certificate. This also included finishing a one-year internship in general surgery. His clinical interests are trauma, orthognathic surgery, and dental implant surgery.

Dr. Jon D. Wagner is a professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery at the Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine. He is board-certified in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Wagner founded the Wagner Craniofacial/Hand Biomechanical Research Lab at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. His research interests include biomechanics, bone physiology, fracture mechanics, fracture-fixation systems, and finite element modeling. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. David Yates specializes in treating children with cranial and facial deformities, with particular expertise in cleft lip and palate surgery. As division chief of cranial and facial surgery at El Paso Children's Hospital, he has been instrumental in bringing advanced craniofacial surgical capabilities to the region. His exceptional service was recently recognized with El Paso Children's Hospital's first "Physician of the Year" award.

A board certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Yates leads craniofacial clinics at both El Paso Children's Hospital and Providence Memorial Hospital while maintaining his partnership at High Desert Oral and Facial Surgery. His commitment to expanding access to care extends internationally, having established a clinic for children with cleft lip and palate at Hospital De La Familia (FEMAP) in Juárez, Mexico.

Dr. Yates serves on the national committee for Cleft, Craniofacial, and Pediatric Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and reviews submissions for the Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Journal. His dedication to helping children worldwide is evident through his regular participation in international humanitarian surgical missions, which have garnered media attention for their impact. A respected voice in his field, he frequently presents at national conferences and has treated patients from across the globe.

Dr. Arshad Kaleem brings extensive academic and clinical expertise in oral and maxillofacial surgery to High Desert Oral & Facial Surgery. He completed his dental education at the University of Pennsylvania, followed by his M.D. degree and specialized training at Louisiana State University – New Orleans, where he completed both his general surgery internship and oral and maxillofacial surgery residency. His advanced fellowship training in head and neck oncology and microvascular reconstructive surgery was completed at Providence Cancer Center/Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland, Oregon, and the University of Miami.

Prior to joining High Desert, Dr. Kaleem served as associate professor of surgery and program director of the head and neck oncology fellowship at the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. His dedication to medical education earned him the Faculty Educator Development Award from the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and he continues his commitment to training the next generation of surgeons in El Paso.

Dr. Kaleem specializes in several areas of maxillofacial surgery, including:

• Head and neck cancer treatment and reconstruction
• Correction of dentofacial deformities
• Facial reconstruction and microneural surgery
• Maxillofacial trauma management
• Surgical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea
• Dental and oral rehabilitation for cancer and trauma patients

As a diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and fellow of both the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and American Head and Neck Society, Dr. Kaleem maintains active involvement in academic research and education. He has authored multiple papers and book chapters, and frequently presents on oral and maxillofacial surgery topics at professional conferences.