Yvonne L. Hernandez-Kapila, PhD profile page

Dr. Yvonne L. Hernandez Kapila is a professor, associate dean of research, and the Felix and Mildred Yip Endowed Chair at the UCLA School of Dentistry. She has made seminal discoveries in cell and molecular biology mechanisms that govern periodontal disease pathogenesis and oral cancer carcinogenesis, using in vitro and in vivo models and human clinical studies. Hernandez-Kapila received her DDS, periodontology residency training, PhD, and postdoctoral fellowship from UCSF. Dr. Hernandez-Kapila is a clinician scientist, and academic and research leader with over 30 years of research, teaching/mentoring, clinical, and administrative experience. She started her academic career at UCSF and after seventeen years as a member of the UCSF community, she was recruited to the University of Michigan School of Dentistry where she rose through the academic ranks to Full Professor and became the inaugural Director of Global Health Initiatives at the School. UCSF recruited Dr. Hernandez-Kapila back in 2016 and she became the Chair of Periodontology and R. Earl Robinson Distinguished Professor of Periodontology. In 2022, she was recruited to UCLA School of Dentistry where her focus is on administration as Associate Dean of Research, on research, clinical teaching, patient care, and service.