Where did you complete your professional training?
I earned my DDS degree at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. After a couple of years in private practice, I moved to the U.S. to complete a residency in Orofacial Pain and an MS degree at the University of Minnesota. I then took a deep dive into research methods and population health approaches to chronic pain during my PhD in Epidemiology at the University of Washington. Before joining Duke, I’m completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Seattle Children’s Research Institute, focusing on life course and intergenerational mechanisms of pain inequities.
Tell us more about your specialty.
Early in my training as a dentist and an orofacial pain resident, I was introduced to the biopsychosocial pain model. But I noticed a huge discrepancy between how little we know about the social factors in the model and how important they can be for people with pain. My current research as a clinician-scientist in pain epidemiology and population health equity seeks to understand and address social conditions beyond the individual level that can influence the risk, prognosis, impact, and care of chronic pain and its comorbidities.
What are your research and clinical interests currently?
- Identify how the social environment contributes to chronic pain over the life course; and
- Inform innovative systems-level action (e.g., communities, healthcare systems, policies) to improve pain prevention and management for all people.
What excites you about this role at Duke?
I look forward to developing my research team and collaborating across disciplines to advance Duke Ortho as a national leader in musculoskeletal epidemiology. I’m excited to build upon Duke’s pillars of equity, diversity, inclusion, justice, and anti-racism to help transform how we think about and what we do about chronic pain.
What do you like to do outside of medicine?
I have a 95-lb. Belgian Shepherd & Golden Retriever mix dog that brings my partner and me great joy! I also love spending time with friends and family, gardening, hiking, going to the beach, playing tennis, reading, and having a good cup of tea.
Welcome, Dr. Kapos!