Kalpakam Arun Shastri, DDS

Provider is directly employed by MedStar Health

Kalpakam Shastri, DDS, is an oral & maxillofacial surgeon who specializes in the orthognathic-corrective surgery of skeletal jaw and dental deformities. She sees patients for any condition related to the jaw, including tumors or pathology, reconstruction of the jaw, traumatic injury, infection, and impacted teeth. Additionally, she performs outpatient surgery procedures using sedation or general anesthesia for the removal of impacted teeth.

Dr. Shastri is also an oral surgery specialist at the National Institutes of Health at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research clinic, where she performs procedures to treat complex oral illnesses. Her clinical interests include tumors and reconstruction. Her research interests include optimizing sedation techniques and pain control related to impacted teeth. She is a member of the Mid-Atlantic Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and the DC Society of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Dr. Shastri began her career in India, where she completed a bachelor’s degree in dental surgery and a master’s degree in dental surgery at the Government Dental College and Hospital in Nagpur. She then moved to the United Kingdom, where she was Clinical Assistant and  Senior House Officer of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at hospitals in North Wales and Chelmsford, UK. She then completed two fellowships: one with the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland in Dublin and one with the Royal College of Surgeons of England in London.

Dr. Shastri received her doctorate of dental surgery degree from Northwestern University Dental School before completing internship and residency training in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Loyola University Medical Center and Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, respectively. She acted as Assistant Professor of oral & maxillofacial surgery at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine for nearly five years before opening her own private practice. She has since joined MedStar Washington Hospital Center to contribute to a collaborative environment and to provide complex jaw surgeries to a greater portion of the community. She is an integral teaching staff member and is responsible for teaching residents in training to be successful oral and maxillofacial surgeons.

Dr. Shastri is published in various peer-reviewed journals and has presented internationally on numerous occasions. She is passionate about exploring the effects of stem cells as they relate to reconstruction of the jaw.

Philosophy of Care
“The foundation of my practice lies in education and empathy. It is important to me that my patients understand their conditions, in addition to the challenges involved in the care necessary to treat them. With information, my hope is that my patients feel confident in taking control of their health. I take the time to first listen and then answer questions.”

“I care very much about the overall experience of my patients. The time they spend with me is merely a portion of the entire care process. Interactions with healthcare staff and front desk staff, wait times, and answering their questions are all a vital part of the superior quality care that I aim to provide.”