Howard Dedes, MD

Dr. Howard Dedes is the principal pain management physician in our Fullerton, California pain management location. He has been a member of the American Medical Association, American Board of Anesthesiology, California Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, California Medical Association and the Los Angeles County Medical Association.

“I try to focus on restoring a patient’s function and reducing pain without relying on opioids. That’s my goal,”

Dr. Dedes earned his Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology from the University of California – San Diego and his medical degree from the University of California Los Angeles – David Geffen School of Medicine. He completed his internship at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, Calif., and his residency at a UCLA multi-campus program that includes the Veterans Administration, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

He is a Harvard trained physician.  Dr. Dedes completed a fellowship in Interventional Pain Medicine at Harvard Medical School – Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

“I have had close family members suffering from cancer pain, and the medication used to control their pain made them sleepy and not as interactive,” Dr. Dedes says. “When I decided to pursue pain management as a career, I wanted to be able to provide treatment that allows patients to have a better quality of life without medication’s side effects. I wanted to allow them to be present for their families.”

Dr. Dedes enlisted in the United States Navy directly out of high school.  He served, primarily as a hospital corpsman and field medical trainer, between 1993 and 1997. He earned a Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal and other awards before being honorably discharged.

He has participated in a wide variety of research, and presented and been published in peer reviewed journals, abstracts and posters on a variety of medical subjects. He has also lectured at Harvard Medical School, UCLA, Cedars Sinai Medical Center and numerous other institutions.

His drive to help others is not limited to the clinic. Dr. Dedes has long volunteered his time giving free sports physical exams to disadvantaged high school students, and performing health screenings for the uninsured Latino community and the homeless around Los Angeles. He served on the board of the Advocacy Network, which helps abused and neglected children find shelter and legal resources.

“I enjoy helping others, especially those who are disadvantaged and young, with no way of finding the proper resources or advocating for themselves,” he says.

In his free time, Dr. Dedes enjoys spending time with his family and being a father; he also appreciates playing golf, scuba diving, photography, movies, cooking and traveling.