Dr. Drew continues an extensive and ongoing education as a powerful tool that helps him provide you and your family the high-caliber orthodontic care you deserve. Each year he takes a variety of professional courses and attends many hours of continuing education. This constant learning keeps him at the leading edge of advances in orthodontic technologies and methodologies. Much of his recent training have centered on Invisalign®, adult and interceptive orthodontics, and addressing TMJ-TMD through orthodontic care.

Dr. Drew is an avid supporter of University of Arizona athletics and serves as a dental and orthodontic consultant while traveling with the sports teams. He and his fantastic wife, Cathy, have been together for 30 years and have 3 high-energy boys.

His roles in professional organizations, along with his research and teaching experience, empower him to learn from the combined experience of his peers. At association meetings, we discuss solutions for complex cases, share new research, exchange effective techniques, and generally grow our base of orthodontic knowledge. This enables us to serve you better.

• American Association of Orthodontists
• Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists
• Arizona State Orthodontic Association
• Arizona Dental Association
• Southern Arizona Dental Association
• American Association of Dental Research
• Arizona Orthodontic Study Group, past president

Dr. Brian Decker believes the art of orthodontics is about more than just straight teeth. He takes a modern, holistic approach to treatment—prioritizing facial harmony, balanced lip and gum symmetry, and improvements to airway and breathing.

Dr. Decker grew up on a small farm in the quaint town of Parrish, Florida. He was valedictorian of Palmetto High School and a multi-sport varsity athlete. As the oldest of 11 children (yes, 11!), he’s always been close to his family. He married his high school sweetheart, Jessica, and they welcomed their first child—Milo—in August 2023.

He graduated from the Honors College at the University of South Florida with a dual degree: a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences and a B.A. in Psychology, plus a minor in Astronomy. He was also a violinist in the USF Orchestra. He earned his DMD from the LECOM School of Dental Medicine and went on to complete his orthodontic residency at Roseman University in Las Vegas. During his three-year residency, he took night classes to earn an MBA all while working Saturdays and Sundays at a busy pediatric dental practice—an experience that sharpened his skills with children.

However, his expertise extends far beyond pediatrics. He has become known for his efficient, modern approach to adult orthodontic care. In 2025, he was prominently featured in a Washington Post article titled “Old-school metal braces are making a comeback,” which highlighted several of his enthusiastic adult patients and their excitement about beginning treatment under his care.

In addition to creating beautiful smiles, Dr. Decker emphasizes the effect orthodontics has on facial balance and overall health—striving to place teeth in positions that optimally support the face, lips, and improve breathing and sleep. He focuses on the often-overlooked micro-esthetics of a smile, obsessing over every detail to ensure optimal results. To achieve symmetry and ideal proportions, he routinely performs painless and precise reshaping of uneven gums and teeth at the end of treatment.

He has extensive training in the latest orthodontic innovations, including Airway Orthodontics, Invisalign, laser gingivectomies, non-surgical gummy smile correction with TADs, Minimally-Invasive Maxillary Skeletal Expansion (MARPE and MSE), and LightForce custom braces. He has brought these and many other cutting-edge techniques to Braces520.

“Orthodontics is one of the few fields where almost every single patient leaves happier than when they came in,” he says. “You get to be part of that transformation, not just the teeth, but the confidence. That never gets old.”

Life Beyond the Clinic

At home, Dr. Howard is happily outnumbered. He and his wife, Taylor, are kept in perpetual motion by their two boys, Brandt (7) and Graham (5). They recently welcomed their daughter, Halle (1), making Dr. Howard a proud “girl dad” who is officially obsessed with the fact that she finally has enough hair for bows.

The Meticulous Edge

When he isn’t chasing kids or cheering for the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Phoenix Suns, you’ll find Dr. Howard working on cars or competing on the pickleball court.

He possesses a naturally meticulous personality; every hobby is pursued to the ninth degree. “I’m wired to want to be great at things,” he says. “Whether it’s a complex orthodontic case, a pickleball match, or being a dad, I take it seriously.”

That relentless drive for excellence is exactly what patients get every time they walk through the door.