About Dr. Shankland

WESLEY E. SHANKLAND, II, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D.

Dr. Wesley Shankland graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree, majoring in biochemistry and zoology. He continued his education and graduated from The Ohio State University College of Dentistry in 1978. He joined the faculty of the College of Dentistry of The Ohio State University in 1979 (1979-1984) and taught both clinical endodontics and a course on temporomandibular disorders. In 1993, he earned a Master's of Science Degree in anatomy, also from Ohio State. He further did research for his PhD, but obtained the degree from Summit University of Louisiana (a non-credited program) in 1987.  He is the Director of the TMJ & Facial Pain Center in Columbus, Ohio.

The author of over one hundred national and international scientific publications, a manual of head and neck anatomy, and chapters in 14 textbooks, Dr. Shankland's book, TMJ: Its Many Faces, 2nd ed (Anadem Publishers), was released in February of 1996. The second edition of this best-selling book was released in October 1998. US News & World Report magazine listed this as THE TMJ book to purchase. His second pain book, Face the Pain ( Aomega Publishers), was released July of 2000. His most recent book is Bioterrorism: You Can Survive.  Dr. Shankland also edited the Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Craniofacial Pain for the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain.
 
Dr. Shankland is a member of the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain. and is a past-president of the academy (1998-2000).  He's a Diplomate and Board Certified by the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain and the American Academy of Neurological and Orthopedic Surgery (one of only eight non-physicians in the world). Dr. Shankland is also a former Board Member of the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain. In addition, he has given nearly 300 courses and lectures throughout the United States, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Germany, Australia, Norway, South Africa, England, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand concerning head and neck anatomy, craniofacial pain, the differential diagnosis of headache pain, and temporomandibular disorders. Dr. Shankland is a professor and teaches gross anatomy in the School of Dental Medicine, University of Puerto Rico in  the oral implantology program.  He also is an instructor in the Craniofacial Pain Institute of the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain, the Midwest Implant Institute and the American and the American Botox University.

Dr. Shankland is a member of the American Dental Association, The Ohio Dental Association and the Columbus Dental Society.
 
Among his many research projects, Dr. Shankland has discovered a muscle (zygomandibularis), a bursa of the tensor veli palatini muscle, and a branch of the third division of the trigeminal nerve, none of which had previously been reported or described in the scientific literature.
Holding the rank of second degree brown belt, Dr. Shankland is a martial artist, studying Shorin-Ryu (Okinawan) karate, Toy-Gar Kung Fu, and T'ai Chi Chuan. His sensei is Sensei Robert Callahan (5th Degree Black Belt in Shorin-Ryu Karate as well as ranked in Chito-Ryu Karate, Hung-Gar Kung Fu, Toy-Gar Kung-Fu and T'ai Chi Chuan).

Being a member of seven scientific editorial boards, Dr. Shankland is a former associate editor of the Journal of Craniomandibular Practice and is currently on the editorial board of this journal. Dr. Shankland is available for interviews and guest lectures, covering such topics as headaches, temporomandibular disorders, facial pain, head and neck anatomy, and the concept of pain.
 
Dr. Shankland is originally from Lima, Ohio. He has three grown children as well as four granddaughters and one grandson. He has been a member of The Church Next Door, a non-denominational, evangelical church in Columbus.