Dr. Touraj TJ Habashi's life story

Dr. T.J Touraj Habashi attributes his philosophy of gratitude to his humble beginnings and the many adversities he and his family overcame on his path to success. The son of an academic in cultured, sophisticated and liberal pre-Revolution Iran, young Touraj’s family as part of the Westernized, educated class were viewed as enemies by the religious extremist government after the 1979 Iranian Revolution. In fear for their lives, Touraj’s family of mother, father and siblings fled, undertaking a dangerous and arduous international journey that eventually brought them to the United States – where they arrived with little more than the clothes on their backs and a ferocious work ethic. At just thirteen years old, Touraj had to adapt to a new life, new culture and a new language, while his family struggled through poverty to rebuild their lives.

Dr. Habashi's childhood
Dr. Habashi's graduation
Touraj and his siblings decided early on they would move heaven and earth to become successful in America, and set about achieving that goal with a succession of humble jobs, such as dishwasher, waiter and gas station clerk – and a whole lot of education. It took many years of struggle, but the young Touraj worked his way through high school, university, dental school and a fellowship at the world-renowned Las Vegas Institute – all while studying in a second language – and eventually became a Doctor of Dentistry, twenty-two years ago. His passion for the field has deepened over the years, and he clearly enjoys helping his patients feel healthier, happier and more confident.

Marrying just before graduation, Dr. T.J. and his then-wife went on to have three children now aged sixteen, nineteen and twenty-one. Unfortunately, the marriage ended in divorce in 2015, but Dr. T.J. derives tremendous joy from being a father, and has a close relationship with his kids, whom he describes as, ‘the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Professionally, Dr. T.J. continues to go from strength to strength. A Summerlin resident since 2017, he bought Gardens Dentistry in 2016, and the practice is flourishing. Dr. T.J. takes pride in his team of dedicated staff, which he describes as being “blessed” to find, and how quickly the practice has grown – aided in part by the number of loyal patients who followed him, some whom he has treated for twenty years. Dr. T.J. also takes pride in his role as lecturer at Engel Institute, NC where he teaches implantology and dental surgery and mentors dentists entering the field.

Dr. Habashi's kids
Welcome to Gardens Dentistry

Today, Dr. T.J.’s family is the quintessential model of an American success story. One brother is a mechanical engineer, the other is also a dentist who practices in California and his sister is an aeronautical engineer. But he never forgot his experience of starting from nothing and working long and hard towards a better future. Dr. T.J. is a man who loves what he does, but having seen at an early age how quickly the material trappings of life can be stripped away, he takes nothing for granted and has never lost his sense of gratitude for his success. And it turns out that along with having a first class professional skillset, being warm, kind, funny and humble means Dr. T.J. is the dentist his patients never dread visiting.