Meet Dr. Richard Nissen

Dr. Richard Nissen, a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics, received his bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University and earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. He completed his orthodontic residency at Washington University School of Dental Medicine and received his master’s degree in orthodontics in 1985.

Dr. Nissen maintains a staff appointment as an Assistant Clinical Professor at Washington University School of Medicine in the Department of Plastic Surgery, as well as Saint Louis University School of Graduate Orthodontics.

He serves as a Consultant at St. Louis Children’s Hospital Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Institute. He was also on staff at Mercy Hospital St. Louis, where he directed the orthodontic care for patients seen by the craniofacial deformities team for over 20 years.

As an active member of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association and the American Association of Orthodontists, Dr. Nissen frequently speaks at conferences and study groups for orthodontic professionals. Dr. Nissen has co-authored numerous articles on orthodontic treatment of cleft palate and craniofacial patients and wrote a chapter on orthodontics in Pediatric Otolaryngology Principals and Practice Pathways.

Dr. Nissen and his family enjoy spending their summers in Telluride, Colorado. Dr. Nissen also enjoys volunteering his time at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, as well as Mercy Hospital.