Our Dean

Javier La Fontaine, DPM, MS, MEd 

Dr. Javier La Fontaine is the Inaugural Dean of the UTRGV School of Podiatric Medicine (SOPM). Prior to becoming dean, La Fontaine was the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for SOPM and assisted in candidacy for SOPM by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME). 

Prior to joining UTRGV, he worked at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, where he served as a professor in the Department of Plastic Surgery and as Fellowship Director of Limb Preservation at Parkland Hospital. 

Dr. La Fontaine also has served as an associate professor at Texas A&M University College of Medicine; Chief of Podiatric Medicine section at Central Texas Veterans Medical Center in Temple, Texas; Associate Professor of the Department of Orthopedics at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA); and Division Chief of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery and residency program director at UTHSCSA and Bexar County Hospital. 

He graduated from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, and earned his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree from Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine (now Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine). He received a Master’s in Clinical Investigation from UTHSCSA in 2006 and a Master’s in Education with an emphasis in Higher Education from Liberty University in 2021. 

Dr. La Fontaine completed his internship in Primary Podiatric Medicine and residency in Podiatric Surgery at UTHSCSA. He is board-certified by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS) and the American Board of Podiatric Medicine (ABPM).