Meet Our Team
about us
Choosing an orthodontist means trusting someone with your face, your bite, and your confidence or your child’s. So it is fair to want to know exactly who is behind the work before you book.
Alpan Orthodontics is led by Dr. David Alpan, LA’s TMJ, airway, and comprehensive orthodontist. He treats straight teeth, a balanced bite, a calm jaw, and a clear airway as one connected system, and he designs the plan for every patient the practice sees. Here is who you are trusting and why so many patients across Los Angeles do.
The Doctor Other Doctors Learn From
Dr. Alpan did not take the usual path. He was a high school valedictorian at 17, started dental school at 19, and earned his dental degree from the University of the Pacific by 22. By 24, he had finished his orthodontic specialty training and a master’s degree in dentistry, with a thesis focused on the TMJ.
Orthodontics runs in his blood. He is a third-generation dental professional, following his grandfather and his father into the field, and he founded Alpan Orthodontics in 1999 in Los Angeles, the city where he was born and raised.
His approach traces back to his mentor Dr. Bob Boyd, a rare specialist trained in both gum health and orthodontics. From Dr. Boyd, he learned to start with the face and the health of the whole mouth and to keep permanent teeth in place whenever possible. That face-first, non-extraction philosophy still guides every plan he makes today.
Here is what really sets his experience apart. Dr. Alpan has personally created more than 25,000 treatment plans and trained over 12,000 orthodontists around the world. He helped build the treatment-planning service that Invisalign later acquired, he was one of the first orthodontists in LA to treat with clear aligners back in 1999, and he still mentors other doctors today. He is a TMJ specialist, an airway-trained orthodontist, and a top-tier Invisalign provider, licensed in both California and Nevada.
Dr. Sydney Honnlee, DMD
Not every orthodontist takes the extra step to become board-certified. Dr. Sydney Honnlee did.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in physiology from the University of Arizona, then her dental degree from Western University, and she completed her orthodontic residency at the University of Detroit Mercy. Board certification means she went beyond the basic requirements to prove her skill, which is exactly the kind of specialist you want carrying out a carefully built plan.
Dr. Robert Memsic, DDS
Experience matters when your case is not simple, and Dr. Robert Memsic brings plenty of it.
He earned his dental degree from Loyola in Chicago and completed his orthodontic residency at UCLA. With more than 40 years in practice and 35 years teaching future dentists as a faculty member at the USC dental school, he has seen just about everything a smile can present. When you meet him, you are meeting a teacher of the profession.
What This Team Believes About Your Smile
Straight teeth are only part of the story. This team treats the smile, the bite, the face, the TMJ, and the airway because everything is connected. That is one reason patients come here after being told somewhere else that their case was too complicated.
The goal is not to unbracket your teeth and send you off. Your care includes lifetime retention, with several visits in your first year afterward and then a yearly check-in for life, so the smile you paid for stays that way.
And you should be able to ask real questions about your health in the language you think in. The team is fluently bilingual in English and Spanish, which matters to families across Westlake, Koreatown, and the rest of LA.
Common Questions About The Alpan Orthodontics Team
Who will be my orthodontist at Alpan Orthodontics?
Your care is led by a team of orthodontists, including founder Dr. David Alpan, board-certified orthodontist Dr. Sydney Honnlee, and Dr. Robert Memsic. Dr. Alpan personally designs the treatment plan for every patient, and the team he trained carries out your visits. You are always cared for under his plan.
Does Dr. Alpan personally plan every patient's treatment?
Yes. Dr. Alpan designs the plan for every patient the practice treats, including the face evaluation, bite, airway, treatment sequence, and retention. You may not sit in his chair at every appointment, but the plan guiding your care is always his.
What are Dr. Alpan's credentials and training?
Dr. Alpan holds a dental degree from the University of the Pacific and a master’s in dentistry with a thesis on the TMJ. He is a TMJ specialist, an airway-trained orthodontist, and a top-tier Invisalign provider licensed in California and Nevada. He has created more than 25,000 treatment plans and trained over 12,000 orthodontists worldwide.
Does the team speak Spanish?
Yes. The team is fluently bilingual in English and Spanish, so you can ask real questions and understand your treatment and payment options in the language you are most comfortable with. This matters to many families across Los Angeles.
Where does Dr. Alpan see patients?
Dr. Alpan sees patients across the practice’s Los Angeles locations and spends most of his time at the Century City office. Alpan Orthodontics has seven offices around LA County, including Downtown LA, Larchmont, Pasadena, Woodland Hills, Van Nuys, and Inglewood. There is likely one close to you.
Ready To Meet The Team In Person?
The best way to know if this is the right team for you is to sit down with us and talk through your own case. You will get a real look at your bite, your jaw, and your airway, plus a plan designed by Dr. Alpan for your face.
Book your consultation today and meet the team behind your Los Angeles smile.