Professor of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
University of California, Davis
Dr. Tollefson is the proud father of Theo, a toddler who has humbled him by making him take days off. Theo is already an avid Jayhawk basketball fan, as any well-informed gentleman should be. He is Professor and Director of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at the University of California Davis, where he specializes in cleft and pediatric craniofacial care, facial reconstruction and facial trauma care.
-His interest in the emerging field of Global Surgery and improving surgical access in low-resource countries led him to complete an MPH at the Harvard School of Public Health. He helps lead the CMF arm of the AO-Alliance.org, whose goal is to instill AO principles in facial injuries in low resource settings.
-His current research is focuses on clinical outcomes of patients with cleft lip-palate, facial trauma education in Africa, patterns of mandible fracture care, and patient reported outcomes in facial paralysis surgeries. He coedited, Complete Cleft Care, an evidence-based textbook on team management of cleft lip-palate. He serves as his department’s Director of Wellness and Mentoring, co-director of the UC Davis Cleft Team.
He serves on the Board of Directors of the American Board of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery,and is the Editor-In-Chief for Facial Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Medicine journal (formerly JAMA - Facial Plastic Surgery).