Pediatrics CertifiedSagar Mehta, MD

Dr. Sagar Mehta completed his undergraduate degree and a medical degree in the highly competitive six-year combined program at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He subsequently went to the University of Utah for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery residency, where he spent a significant amount of time focused on bone allograft in alveolar cleft surgery and utilization of adipose-derived stem cells in Reconstructive Surgery. He then completed a fellowship in Craniomaxillofacial Surgery at the University of Utah, honing his skills in the management of complex pediatric congenital anomalies including cleft lip and palate, craniosynostosis, and complex jaw surgery. He worked at the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children's Hospital as a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon. Dr. Mehta is a the board-certified Director of the Craniofacial team at Arkansas Children's. 

One of Dr. Mehta's primary research interests continues to be in the utilization of bone allograft in patients with cleft lip and palate. He has helped to develop innovative techniques in which bone allograft is used in a combined procedure to repair both the hard palate and alveolar cleft. This allows for the patient's initial stages of cleft surgery to be completed between 2 and 3 years of age compared to 7 and 9 years of age when alveolar bone grafting is normally performed. Ultimately, the overall goal is for his patients with cleft lip and palate to be done with their primary set of surgeries prior to kindergarten. As a Plastic Surgeon and Craniomaxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Mehta is able to manage the full spectrum of issues associated with cleft lip and palate including primary cleft lip and palate repair, alveolar bone grafting, as well as jaw (orthognathic) surgery and nasal reconstruction.

In regard to cranial reconstruction, Dr. Mehta has significant research interests in blood loss in Craniosynostosis, adjunct studies to assess for elevated intracranial pressure in Craniosynostosis, and assessment of neurodevelopment in the craniosynostosis patient population. He performs total calvarial vault reconstruction, endoscopic assist strip craniectomies with postoperative helmeting and endoscopic assisted strip craniectomies with spring-assisted cranioplasty depending on the age of the patient at the time of presentation. He also has a significant interest in the reconstruction of calvarial defects in patients who undergo traumatic craniectomies. Dr. Mehta has published numerous articles in reconstructive plastic surgery journals and is a member of several cleft and craniofacial and Plastic Surgery organizations.

Medical Degree

• University of Missouri- Kansas City SOM - 2011

Residency

• University of Utah School of Medicine - 2017
• University of Utah School of Medicine - 2014

Fellowship

• University of Utah School of Medicine - 2018