She studied French Philology and Geography and History, specialising in Art History. In 1982, she began to work as an assistant lecturer in the department of History of Modern and Contemporary Art and two years later she became a Professor.
Dolores Vila published many works throughout her professional career such as: Escultura manierista en Galicia (1983), Lugo barroco (1983), El escultor Francisco de Moure (1991), O Santuario da Virxe das Ermidas de Ourense (1992), Catedral de Santiago de Compostela, etc.