Dr. James Fricton, DDS, MS

Dr. James Fricton serves as Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota Schools of Dentistry, Medicine, and Public Health, and Senior Researcher at HealthPartners Institute. His academic credentials include a DDS and MS, with specialized training in Medical Anesthesiology and Pain Management from UCLA School of Medicine. Through his highly successful Coursera course "Preventing Chronic Pain: A Human Systems Approach," which has attracted over 50,000 participants from 176 countries, he helps students understand comprehensive approaches to pain management and prevention. His expertise spans 40 years of patient care, university teaching, and NIH-sponsored research on chronic pain management and prevention. As former President of the International Myopain Society and the American Academy of Orofacial Pain, he has significantly influenced pain management practices. His contributions include over 150 publications and five books on topics ranging from TMJ and craniofacial pain to myofascial pain and fibromyalgia. At the Minnesota Head and Neck Pain Clinic, he continues to implement innovative patient-centered approaches to pain management while advancing research in health information technology applications for patient care.