Our Doctors / Henry K. Kawamoto, Jr.

EDUCATION

East Los Angeles College A.A. 1954-1956
University of Southern California
School of Dentistry D.D.S 1956-1960
School of Medicine M.D. 1960-1964
Internship: UCLA Affiliated Hospitals 1964-1965
General Surgery Residency: Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center 1965-1971
Plastic Surgery Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery 1971-1973 New York University Medical Center, NY, NY
Postgraduate Education Craniofacial Surgery with Dr. Paul Tessier 1973-1974 L' Hôpital Foch, and Clinique Belvédère Paris, France

CERTIFICATION

American Board of Surgery 1972
American Board of Plastic Surgery 1976

ABOUT

Dr. Henry Kawamoto Jr. is the director of craniofacial surgery for UCLA's Craniofacial Clinic and a UCLA clinical professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery. In the past 27 years, he has earned international respect from his peers - and deep gratitude from thousands of patients and their parents -- for his surgical skill in reconstructing children's faces after correcting disfiguring skull and facial defects caused by birth, disease or trauma.

When Kawamoto joined UCLA's Craniofacial Clinic in 1975, he was the first Los Angeles plastic surgeon trained in the craniomaxillofacial (skull-jaw-face) specialty. Treating nearly 300 patients a year, UCLA's clinic is the biggest craniofacial surgical center in California and one of the largest in the United States.

Kawamoto specializes in clinical practice and research related to craniomaxillofacial surgery. He earned his dental and medical degrees from USC and conducted an internship at UCLA before serving a 15-month stint as captain of maxillofacial surgery for the U.S. Army Medical Corps. He pursued his general surgical residency at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center and his plastic surgery residency at New York University's Institute of Reconstructive Surgery, then completed a fellowship in craniofacial surgery under the famous Dr. Paul Tessier at the Hospital Foch and Clinique Belvedere in Paris, France.

Actively involved in continuing education for plastic surgery, he chaired the credentialing requirements committee for the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He is also past president of the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons, the American Society of Craniofacial Surgeons and the California Society of Plastic Surgeons. He is past historian for the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and has served as chairman for the organization's board of trustees.

The author of more than 100 scientific articles, Kawamoto has served on numerous editorial boards, including Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the Journal of Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Surgery. He has delivered more than 220 presentations by invitation around the world.

For the past 27 years, Kawamoto has headed the craniofacial surgery component of UCLA's Division of Plastic Surgery. He is devoted to training plastic surgery residents in craniofacial, cleft lip and palate reconstruction. Surgeons from around the world come to UCLA for this one-year advanced training, then return to their home country to use their new skills.

To honor Kawamoto's contributions to the field, his former UCLA craniofacial fellows and colleagues established the biannual Henry K. Kawamoto Lectureship in craniofacial surgery at UCLA in 1998. The biannual lecture showcases presentations from international leaders in the craniofacial specialty field.

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