Overview
Laryngologist Simon Best specializes in voice and airway disorders, including the comprehensive care of professional voice-users and performers. He treats patients diagnosed with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP), vocal cord paralysis, laryngeal cancer, precancerous vocal cord dysplasia, benign laryngeal lesions (polyps, cysts, nodules), and laryngeal and tracheal stenosis. He has expertise in the operative management of vocal cord disorders, including Blue Light laser surgery and office-based management of vocal cord papilloma, dysplasia and vocal cord paralysis. Dr. Best earned a medical degree from the Yale School of Medicine and completed residency training in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He undertook fellowship training in laryngology at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Best has a particular clinical and research interest in recurrent respiratory papillomatosis and sees patients from across the country for specialized care for this disorder. He offers operative and office-based laser for papilloma, utilizing the Blue Light laser, which allows for precise excision of papilloma while preserving underlying vocal function. Dr. Best is also a pioneer in the adjuvant use of bevacizumab for RRP, helping many patients break the cycle of repeated surgeries. The Best Laboratory studies RRP and the development of novel immunotherapies to target the underlying viral infection. This research is conducted in collaboration with the head and neck cancer and cervical cancer research groups at Johns Hopkins, which also study human papillomavirus-related diseases. In addition, Johns Hopkins is a site for ongoing clinical trials in DNA immunotherapy, the goal of which is to eliminate the causative viral infection that leads to RRP.
Dr. Best is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Laryngeal Nerve Damage, Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis, Spasmodic Dysphonia, Laryngectomy, and Gastrostomy.
Insurance
Accepted insurance can change. Please verify directly with the provider.
Accepted insurance plans:
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- PPO
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MEDICARE PDP
- PPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- PPO
- EPO
- POS
- HMO
- INDEMNITY
- POS
- PPO
- HMO
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE-MEDICAID PLAN
- OTHER MANAGED MEDICAID
- HMO
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- PPO
- OTHER MEDICAID
- STATE MEDICAID
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE PDP
- MEDICARE SNP
- MEDICARE-MEDICAID PLAN
- OTHER MEDICARE PART D
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE PDP
- MEDICARE SNP
- MEDICARE-MEDICAID PLAN
- OTHER MEDICARE
- OTHER MEDICARE PART D
Locations
601 North Caroline Street, Floor 6, Floor 6, Baltimore, MD 21287
6420 Rockledge Drive, Suite 4920, Bethesda, MD 20817
10803 Falls Road, Pavilion III STE 2500, Lutherville, MD 21093
Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center
Lee Akst, M.D., specializes in treating the larynx (voicebox), in particular the treatment of voice and swallowing disorders. He is a leading laryngologist in office-based procedures such as vocal fold injection augmentation, pulsed KTP laser treatment, and laryngeal botox injection. In the operating room, Dr. Akst specializes in phonosurgery for the treatment of vocal cord disease, with emphasis on voice restoration and improvement. A strong focus of his practice involves the use of pulsed angiolytic lasers, which allow for subspecialized care of laryngeal papillomas, laryngeal dysplasia, and early vocal cord cancers while preserving the quality and strength of the voice. Dr. Akst is a national leader in the field of laryngology and serves in leadership roles for the American Laryngological Association, the American Broncho-Esophagological Association, and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. He lectures extensively on the treatment of laryngeal disease, teaching other physicians how to care for patients with voice and swallowing concerns. His research interests include the development of robotic laryngeal surgery, the study of voice and swallowing complaints in the elderly, and the advancement of pulsed lasers for the treatment of laryngeal diseases with a focus on leukoplakia. This provider is registered with the Florida Department of Health to perform telehealth services for patients in Florida. Dr. Akst is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Spasmodic Dysphonia, Laryngitis, Perichondritis, Endoscopy, and Laryngectomy.
ENT & Allergy Of Delaware
Joan Coker is an Otolaryngologist in Newark, Delaware. Dr. Coker is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. Her top areas of expertise are Empyema, Sinusitis, Allergic Rhinitis, Jones Syndrome, and Adenoidectomy.
Bayhealth Medical Center, Inc
David Roberson is an Otolaryngologist in Dover, Delaware. Dr. Roberson is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Swallowing Difficulty, Painful Swallowing, Infant Hearing Loss, Adenoidectomy, and Myringotomy. Dr. Roberson is currently accepting new patients.
Areas of Expertise
MediFind evaluates expertise by pulling from factors such as number of articles a doctor has published in medical journals, participation in clinical trials, speaking at industry conferences, prescribing and referral patterns, and strength of connections with other experts in their field.
Learn more about MediFind’s expert tiers
- Distinguished
- Laryngeal CancerDr. Best isDistinguished. Learn about Laryngeal Cancer.
- Laryngeal Nerve DamageDr. Best isDistinguished. Learn about Laryngeal Nerve Damage.
- LaryngitisDr. Best isDistinguished. Learn about Laryngitis.
- Recurrent Respiratory PapillomatosisDr. Best isDistinguished. Learn about Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis.
- Spasmodic DysphoniaDr. Best isDistinguished. Learn about Spasmodic Dysphonia.
- Throat CancerDr. Best isDistinguished. Learn about Throat Cancer.
- Advanced
- Acquired TracheomalaciaDr. Best isAdvanced. Learn about Acquired Tracheomalacia.
- LaryngectomyDr. Best isAdvanced. Learn about Laryngectomy.
- Painful SwallowingDr. Best isAdvanced. Learn about Painful Swallowing.
- Palatopharyngeal IncompetenceDr. Best isAdvanced. Learn about Palatopharyngeal Incompetence.
- PerichondritisDr. Best isAdvanced. Learn about Perichondritis.
- Swallowing DifficultyDr. Best isAdvanced. Learn about Swallowing Difficulty.
- Experienced
- Autonomic NeuropathyDr. Best isExperienced. Learn about Autonomic Neuropathy.
- Chronic CoughDr. Best isExperienced. Learn about Chronic Cough.
- DFNB1Dr. Best isExperienced. Learn about DFNB1.
- Dry MouthDr. Best isExperienced. Learn about Dry Mouth.
- DysarthriaDr. Best isExperienced. Learn about Dysarthria.
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)