Module 2: Understanding Orofacial Pain

He has been a full time faculty member at the University of Kentucky for 45 years. He is recognized worldwide as an authority in the field of TMD and orofacial pain, lecturing in every state in the USA and 59 different foreign countries. His textbooks have been translated into eleven different foreign languages and have become a standard for teaching throughout the world. His peers have called him the “World Ambassador for Orofacial pain”. He is a highly sought after speaker and has given more than 1300 invited lectures throughout the world. He has received numerous awards, honors and recognitions for his outstanding teaching and educational abilities. Some of these awards include the campus wide University of Kentucky “Great Teacher Award”, the Provost’s Distinguished Service Professorship, the American Academy of Orofacial Pain’s Service Award and the first ever “Distinguished Alumni Award” from the College of Dentistry. In addition, he received the State of Kentucky Acorn Award for the best professor in the state and was inducted into the University of Kentucky Hall of Distinguished Alumni. Dr. Okeson has also received “The International Dentist of the Year Award” from the Academy of Dentistry International. This is the highest award recognized by this Academy and was given to him in recognition of his worldwide efforts in providing education in the area of temporomandibular disorders and orofacial pain. In addition to his two textbooks, he has more then 240 publications in scientific journals. He is founder of the Orofacial Pain Program at the University of Kentucky. He has developed several full-time teaching programs associated with the Center. The Master of Science Degree program he established was the first in the United States to be accredited by the American Academy of Orofacial Pain. The Orofacial Pain Residency Program was one of the very first to be accreditated by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. This program has graduated 65 full time residents from 26 different countries. He is active in many national and international organizations and is past president of the American Academy of Orofacial Pain. He is also a founding diplomate and twice past president of the American Board of Orofacial Pain. Dr. Okeson is presently serving as Dean of the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry. Dr. Okeson is a captivating lecturer with a teaching style that is engaging, logical and based on the available science. He is one of the few individuals in the world capable of bringing all these subjects together into one lecture series.