About Dr. Hema Chandrashekhar

Dr. Hemamalini Chandrashekhar is a specialist with over 15 years of international experience across clinical practice, academics, and research in the field of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS), Orofacial Pain, and Dental Sleep Medicine.

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Dr. Chandrashekhar is dual- residency trained in OMFS and Orofacial Pain, having completed her residency and a 3-year Master’s degree in OMFS in India, and a 2-year Master’s degree in Orofacial Pain from Rutgers University, specialty recently recognized by the American Dental Association. She also served as an Assistant Professor- OMFS at Government Dental College, Mumbai before relocating to the US. She pursued advanced clinical training in Dental Implants and OMFS at UCLA and Boston University, and completed a clinical fellowship in Orofacial Pain at UCLA. She further trained in Dental Sleep Medicine through a dedicated Mastery Program organized by the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM). 

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Before specializing exclusively in Orofacial Pain management, Dr. Hemamalini Chandrashekhar trained and practiced extensively as an Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon for almost a decade. Her surgical experience includes performing complex procedures such as TMJ ankylosis release, and jaw resection surgeries, often for patients with advanced TMJ pathologies or facial tumors.​ This background gives Dr. Chandrashekhar a unique perspective: she understands when surgery is necessary, but also knows that most TMJ disorders can be managed conservatively. Today, she uses her surgical insight to guide accurate diagnosis, avoid unnecessary operations, and collaborate effectively with other maxillofacial surgeons when true surgical cases arise.

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Thus her background bridges surgical, medical, and dental approaches to managing complex facial pain, TMJ dysfunction, and sleep-related breathing disorders. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orofacial Pain (ABOP)—the highest certifying body in the U.S. for this specialty—and an AADSM-Qualified Dentist, currently pursuing board certification in Dental Sleep Medicine, thus making her a unique specialist having training in three separate specialties - Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Orofacial Pain & Dental Sleep Medicine. Having trained and worked with cancer patients as well as having personal experiences, Dr. Chandrashekhar is passionate about providing support to patients and caretakers navigating  this deadly disease. 

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Dr. Chandrashekhar stays updated with the latest clinical advances by regularly attending advanced training programs and continuing education courses. She is an active researcher with multiple peer-reviewed publications, a reviewer for international journals in OMFS and Orofacial Pain, and a frequent speaker at global conferences and professional forums.

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She is a member of the American Academy of Orofacial Pain (AAOP), American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM), American Headache Society (AHS), American Dental Association (ADA), International Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons (IAOMS), and the Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons of India (AOMSI). 

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Outside of work, Dr. Chandrashekhar is a classical dancer trained in the South Indian artform of Bharatnatyam. She enjoys hiking in the Pacific Northwest with her husband Arjun Krishnan, whom you'll often interact with at the practice.