Parker E. Mahan Facial Pain Center

Patient Information

Map and directions to the Facial Pain Center

The Facial Pain Center was established in 1984 at the University of Florida School of Dentistry. This Center offers a multidisciplinary approach to patient evaluation which is both comprehensive in coverage and efficient with respect to patient time. The Center is not a primary care facility, but admits patients only at the request of a health professional for diagnostic opinions and to offer treatment suggestions to the primary dentist or physician. Treatment is offered to the patient if so desired by the patient and the referring doctor. In addition, the Center serves to coordinate research efforts, to establish a uniform data collection system, and to provide undergraduate and post-graduate education in the areas of diagnosis and treatment of the facial pain patient.

Many times patients present with multidimensional pain and dysfunction conditions. This fact has provided the impetus for expansion of the diagnostic and treatment team to include many branches of medicine and dentistry. Faculty from the dental departments of oral and maxillofacial surgery, fixed and removable prosthodontics, orthodontics, endodontics, periodontics, oral medicine and oral radiology regularly participate. Also, other areas of the Medical Center such as physical therapy and clinical psychology actively participate. Neurosurgery, neurology, rheumatology, anesthesiology, otolaryngology, psychiatry, nutrition, and pharmacology are also available for consultation.

Most patients with temporomandibular joint and/or facial pain problems can be treated very adequately by the general dentist. However, if this treatment is less than totally successful or the dentist wishes a second opinion regarding the diagnosis or treatment, the Parker E. Mahan Facial Pain Center will accept the patient as a referral.

In order to maintain the best doctor/patient relationship, the referring medical professional is asked to send a referral letter or to complete a Pain Center referral form (this referral form will be sent upon request). This aids in appointing the patient with proper consultants when possible and serves to open lines of communication between the Center and the referring practitioner.

Upon scheduling, an orientation packet is mailed to the patient regarding the Facial Pain Center, its location, and a description of what to expect during the diagnostic examination. The patient may also receive a questionnaire relating to the chief complaint as well as pertinent psychosocial information. Because our purpose is to understand all potential contributions and effects of pain, this information is important in our ever-increasing understanding of this multidimensional area.

Every effort is made to handle emergency problems as quickly as possible. For a non-emergency appointment, the patient can expect to be appointed two to four weeks following referral.

For more information, please call (352) 392-8862 or e-mail us.