The 20 Best Vocal Cord Dysfunction Doctors in Maryland, US

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 a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. His top areas of expertise are Spasmodic Dysphonia, Laryngitis, Perichondritis, Endoscopy, and Laryngectomy.

Alexander Hillel specializes in the medical and surgical management of patients who have scar tissue blocking their larynx and/or trachea, a condition called laryngotracheal stenosis. This condition occurs in patients who have had prolonged intubation, an autoimmune disease or a rare disease called idiopathic subglottic stenosis. He also treats patients with voice and throat problems, including spasmodic dysphonia and swallowing difficulty. After he earned his medical degree from the Tulane University School of Medicine, Dr. Hillel completed his residency in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a fellowship in laryngology and airway surgery at the Emory Voice Center. Dr. Hillel directs a laboratory that seeks to better understand why scar forms in the larynx and trachea. In an effort to improve treatment, he and his team investigate the relationship between the immune system, bacteria and other antigens and scar formation in the airway. He has led a number of clinical trials to improve treatment for subglottic stenosis, including the first interventional study for idiopathic subglottic stenosis. Researchers in Dr. Hillel’s lab are also testing drugs that may halt the progression of, or reverse, scar formation, and they have engineered a drug-eluting stent that is being tested to translate to patients with subglottic stenosis. He holds sponsored grants to conduct his research from the National Institutes of Health, surgical foundations and the medical device industry. In addition to clinical and research work, Dr. Hillel has a leadership role within the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, serving as the vice director of education. Dr. Hillel is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. His top areas of expertise are Spasmodic Dysphonia, Subglottic Stenosis, Perichondritis, Laryngectomy, and Endoscopy.

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 a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. His top areas of expertise are Laryngeal Nerve Damage, Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis, Spasmodic Dysphonia, Laryngectomy, and Gastrostomy.

Wayne Koch is a national and international leader in head and neck oncologic surgery, caring for patients with cancers of the oral cavity, salivary gland, larynx, hypopharynx, oropharynx and thyroid. Among Dr. Koch's landmark publications are studies demonstrating how key molecular events such as p53 mutation and human papillomavirus (HPV) contribute to the development of head and neck cancer. His peer-reviewed publications include six articles in the New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Koch is also involved in humanitarian outreach focused on training surgeons in several African nations. He has served as president of the American Head and Neck Society, the national organization of head and neck cancer surgeons in the USA. Dr. Koch is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. His top areas of expertise are Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC), Tongue Cancer, Human Papillomavirus Infection, Laryngectomy, and Gastrostomy.

Andrew Goldstone is an otolaryngologist specializing in evaluation and treatment of ear, nose and throat disorders for adult and pediatric patients. He has been practicing in Baltimore since 1991. Dr. Goldstone takes great pride in providing compassionate and comprehensive ENT care for patients of all ages. Specialty care with attention to cutting-edge therapies and new approaches while ensuring excellence through use of well-established treatments is the principle upon which he practices. His goal is to develop long-term physician-patient relationships that enhance patient satisfaction and the quality and safety of care. Dr. Goldstone is also a member of several national and local medical societies, including the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Goldstone is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. His top areas of expertise are Infant Hearing Loss, DFNB1, Jones Syndrome, and Ruptured Eardrum.

Otolaryngologist Vaninder “Vinny” K. Dhillon specializes in endocrine surgery, laryngology, otolaryngology, parathyroid diseases and surgery, swallowing disorders, thyroid diseases and surgery, and voice problems. She treats both children and adults. After earning her medical degree from Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Dr. Dhillon completed a residency in otolaryngology at Los Angeles County and University of Southern California Medical Center. Dr. Dhillon’s research interests include the role of voice outcomes in patients after thyroid and parathyroid surgery when there is concern for vocal fold weakness or paralysis, evaluation of the role of office-based treatment on vocal fold paralysis, as well as neurogenic recovery of vocal fold paralysis. Dr. Dhillon is also interested in treatments for neurogenic chronic cough, which is refractory to other medical intervention. Dr. Dhillon is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. Her top areas of expertise are Laryngeal Nerve Damage, Spasmodic Dysphonia, Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2), Thyroidectomy, and Parathyroidectomy.

Dr. Joseph Park completed his medical training at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences as a Seven-Year BA/MD Scholar. He then completed his otolaryngology– head and neck surgery training at the George Washington University and a fellowship in laryngology at the Johns Hopkins University Hospital. Dr. Park specializes in the management of hoarseness including professional voice users, airway disorders, swallowing disorders, laryngopharyngeal reflux, laryngeal dystonia and other benign and cancerous vocal cord lesions. He is also interested in the treatment of head and neck cancer, thyroid/parathyroid disease, salivary gland stones and disorders and allergy/sinus disease. In his spare time, Dr. Park enjoys skiing, scuba diving, cycling and listening to music. Dr. Park is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. His top areas of expertise are Laryngitis, Laryngeal Nerve Damage, Perichondritis, and Spasmodic Dysphonia.

Dr. Jerome S. Schwartz is an otolaryngologist affiliated with Sibley Memorial Hospital, Washington Hospital Center, Children’s National Medical Center and Georgetown University Hospital. He practices out of Feldman ENT Group in Chevy Chase, Md. and Germantown, Md. Dr. Schwartz has an expertise in laryngology, voice and swallowing disorders, pediatric otolaryngology and sinonasal disorders. Dr. Schwartz earned his medical degree from George Washington University School of Medicine. He completed a residency in otolaryngology, head and neck surgery at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center. Dr. Schwartz completed advanced training in laryngology/neurolaryngology and voice and swallowing disorders at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center. Dr. Schwartz is a fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology and the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Schwartz was named a Top Doctor by Washingtonian Magazine in 2015. Dr. Schwartz has published numerous articles and textbook chapters on laryngologic disorders and general otolaryngology. Dr. Schwartz is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. His top areas of expertise are Vocal Cord Dysfunction, Spasmodic Dysphonia, Infant Hearing Loss, and Laryngeal Nerve Damage.

Mark Schneyer is an Otolaryngologist in Owings Mills, Maryland. Dr. Schneyer is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. His top areas of expertise are Nasal Septal Hematoma, Low Nasal Bridge, Perichondritis, and Hearing Loss.

Cheng Zhou is a Pulmonary Medicine provider in Elkton, Maryland. Dr. Zhou has been practicing medicine for over 10 years and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. Her top areas of expertise are Lung Metastases, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Eosinophilic Asthma, and Emphysema.

Dr. Solowski received her medical degree from MCP-Hahnemann University (now Drexel University College of Medicine) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and did her residency training in the Department of Otolaryngology at Washington University in St. Louis. She then completed a laryngology fellowship at Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University in Augusta, Georgia. She sees both pediatric and adult patients with diseases of the thyroid/parathyroid glands, sinonasal diseases, head and neck cancers, and other general Otolaryngologic disorders. She treats skin cancers and performs MOHs surgery reconstructions. Dr. Solowski also specializes in treatment and care of recreational and professional voice users, to include singers, teachers, sales personnel as well as those with swallowing difficulties and reflux disorders. Dr. Solowski is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. Her top areas of expertise are Swallowing Difficulty, Painful Swallowing, Otitis, and Patulous Eustachian Tube.

Wojtek Mydlarz, director of Johns Hopkins Head and Neck Surgery in the National Capital Region, specializes in the treatment of benign and malignant tumors of the head and neck, including the upper aerodigestive tract, salivary glands, skull base, thyroid, skin and soft tissue. Dr. Mydlarz is a medical officer and a clinical and research collaborator in the head and neck surgery branch of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). His research interests include evaluating both surgical and nonsurgical treatment outcomes in patients with head and neck cancer. He is interested in the complex molecular biology of head and neck cancer, as well as potential clinical applications of novel targeted cancer therapies. He is actively involved in clinical trial development and implementation at the NIH and Johns Hopkins. After earning his medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Dr. Mydlarz completed his internship and residency in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Additionally, he completed a Science of Clinical Investigation Training Program at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and specialized fellowship training in head and neck surgical oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Mydlarz has contributed to numerous professional publications, authored a variety of articles and book chapters, and has been invited to give many lectures. He serves on the editorial board for Oral Oncology and Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology, and is a journal reviewer for Oral Oncology, Head and Neck, Laryngoscope and JAMA Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Mydlarz is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. His top areas of expertise are Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC), Tongue Cancer, Salivary Gland Tumors, Laryngectomy, and Glossectomy.

Clint Allen is an Otolaryngologist in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Allen is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. His top areas of expertise are Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis, Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC), Hearing Loss, Human Papillomavirus Infection, and Endoscopy.

Dr. Beningfield graduated from the University Of Florida College Of Engineering in Gainesville, Florida. After practicing engineering for eight years, he attended the University Of Kansas School Of Medicine before completing his General Surgery internship and Otolaryngology residency at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Beningfield spent four years in active duty as an otolaryngologist for the United States Air Force and was previously on the faculty of the University of South Florida. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Beningfield is involved in all aspects of general adult and pediatric otolaryngology with a special interest in thyroid and parathyroid disease as well as management of obstructive sleep apnea. When not caring for patients, he spends his free time playing guitar and flying his antique aircraft. Dr. Beningfield is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. His top areas of expertise are Swimmer's Ear, Otitis, Infant Hearing Loss, and Tonsil Stones.

Curt Watkins is an Allergy and Immunologist in Salisbury, Maryland. Dr. Watkins is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. His top areas of expertise are Hives, Allergic Rhinitis, Sinusitis, and Angioedema.

Alicia Chaves is a Pediatric Cardiologist in Baltimore,, Maryland. Dr. Chaves is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. Her top areas of expertise are Patent Ductus Arteriosus, Ventricular Septal Defects, Sinus of Valsalva Aneurysm, Pulmonary Atresia, and Gastrostomy.

Jason Birnbaum is a Pulmonary Medicine provider in Bel Air, Maryland. Dr. Birnbaum is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. His top areas of expertise are Lung Metastases, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Asthma, Gastrostomy, and Endoscopy.

Dr. Jack B. Williams is an otolaryngologist affiliated with Sibley Memorial Hospital, Washington Hospital Center and Georgetown University Hospital. He practices out of Feldman ENT Group in Washington, D.C. and Chevy Chase, Md. Dr. Williams has an expertise in advanced sinus surgery techniques such as balloon sinuplasty, pediatric otolaryngology, rhinology and care of the professional voice. Dr. Williams earned his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch. He completed a residency in otolaryngology at the Georgetown University Hospital. Dr. Williams previously served as a firefighter and paramedic. Dr. Williams is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Academy of Otolaryngology. Dr. Williams was named a Top Doctor in the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Washington-Baltimore areas by Castle Connolly in 2012. Dr. Williams is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. His top areas of expertise are Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps (CRSwNP), Sinusitis, Empyema, and Palatal Myoclonus.

Thomas Rosenthal is an Intensive Care Medicine specialist and an Anesthesiologist in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Rosenthal is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. His top areas of expertise are Chronic Pain, Sacroiliac Joint Disease, Herniated Disk, and Vocal Cord Dysfunction.

Elizabeth Guardiani is an Otolaryngologist in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Guardiani is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. Her top areas of expertise are Laryngeal Nerve Damage, Spasmodic Dysphonia, Vocal Cord Dysfunction, Thyroidectomy, and Laryngectomy.