Dr. Sunil Kapila BDS, MS, PhD

Dr. Sunil Kapila is Professor and Dr. Thomas R. Bales Endowed Chair of Orthodontics and Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives and Operations at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Dentistry. He obtained his dental degree at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, an MS in orthodontics at University of Oklahoma as a Fulbright-Hayes Scholar, and a PhD in Oral Biology from University of California San Francisco. Dr. Kapila is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics. Dr. Kapila has received several research and clinical awards including the American Association for Dental Research’s Hatton Award, the American Association of Orthodontist’s (AAO) Milo Hellman Award, and the B.F. Dewel Honorary Research Award and was named the Burstone Fellow by the AAO Foundation. He has presented over 150 invited lectures, seminars and full-day courses on his areas of research and clinical expertise at national and international meetings. These include serving as the keynote speaker at several international venues and giving the prestigious 2013 Jacob A. Salzmann Lecture and the 2022 Edward H. Angle Award Lecture at the Annual AAO meetings. Dr. Kapila’s research focuses on the hormonal basis for TMJ degeneration and periodontal bone biology. Dr. Kapila has published numerous peer-reviewed manuscripts,15 proceedings and monographs, 22 chapters, and two authoritative textbooks “Current Therapy in Orthodontics” and “Cone Beam Computed Tomography in Orthodontics.” Dr. Kapila serves as the inaugural Chair of AAO's Special Committee on Inclusion and Engagement.