Melissa Kanack, M.D.
Dr. Melissa Kanack is a plastic surgeon at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and an assistant professor of surgery at UC San Diego School of Medicine.
She attended medical school at UC San Diego. Following her residency at UC Irvine, she completed additional fellowship training in craniofacial and pediatric plastic surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Kanack’s clinical interests include cleft lip and palate surgery, neonatal mandibular distraction, adult and pediatric craniofacial surgery, adolescent breast reconstruction and gender-affirming surgery. She also participates in Fresh Start Surgical Gifts, a program that provides craniofacial surgical care to children from across the globe through the Fresh Start Clinic at Rady Children’s.
Her research interests include cleft lip and palate, distraction osteogenesis, multidisciplinary treatment models and outcomes of gender-affirming care. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association and American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons.
In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Kanack enjoys yoga, reading and cooking.