Ask the Experts: Ensuring accurate diagnosis of orofacial pain disorders

Dr Fricton received his BS and DDS degree from the University of Iowa (IA, USA), and then undertook his postgraduate studies, completing an MS in Oral Biology at UCLA School of Dentistry (University of California, CA, USA) and an Anesthesiology and Pain Management Residency at UCLA Medical Center. After research and clinical training at UCLA, he joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota (MN, USA), where he is currently a Professor in the Department of Diagnostic and Surgical Sciences and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He is also a Senior Research Investigator at HealthPartners Research Foundation (MN, USA). He has over 30 years experience in clinical care, research and teaching in the field of chronic pain, orofacial pain, temporomandibular muscle and joint disorders, muscle pain, and, more recently, health informatics. His sponsored research has focused on epidemiological studies and clinical trials of therapeutic strategies for chronic pain conditions. He has developed a biobehavioral framework for personalized care for chronic pain conditions and has integrated this pain research with studies of health information technology, focusing on the use of electronic health records, personal health records and clinical decision support to improve the outcomes and quality of healthcare. He is Principal Investigator for the NIH NIDCR's temporomandibular joint (TMJ) Implant Registry and Repository, which includes research into the genetic, biomechanical and biobehavioral factors involved in the success or failure of TMJ implants. In addition, he has served on the governing board of the American Pain Society, and was president of both the American Board of Orofacial Pain and the American Academy of Orofacial Pain. He maintains an active private practice for patients with TMJ, orofacial, head and neck pain in Plymouth (MN, USA) and St Paul (MN, USA).