Dr. Peter E. Protzel

"Andrew Salama, DDS, MD, is the chief of oral and maxillofacial surgery at Long Island Jewish Medical Center at Northwell. He specializes in head and neck cancer and microvascular reconstruction.Dr. Salama's path toward his specialty actually began in the waiting room of his oral and maxillofacial surgeon, when he was preparing to get his wisdom teeth removed as a college student. Amid the usual magazines were medical journals describing surgeries related to oral and maxillofacial surgery.""I thought it was fascinating, and that led to dental school,"" he recalls. ""On my very first day there, one of the oral and maxillofacial faculty presented a lecture on head and neck cancer, and I remember thinking, 'I want to do that.' It seemed like a dynamic specialty with evidence-based practice, and also one that offered the opportunity to build strong and longitudinal doctor-patient relationships.""After graduating from the University of Maryland Dental School in 1999, Dr. Salama attended the University of Maryland School of Medicine, graduating in 2002. He did his residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery and then completed a two-year fellowship in head and neck oncologic surgery. He remained on faculty for four years before moving to Boston as the director of maxillofacial oncology at Boston University Medical Center. After 11 years in Boston, he joined Northwell in July 2021 with the aim of blending his leadership skills with patient care.""Surgeons only spend about 15 to 20% of their time actually performing surgery, which means it's crucial to find activity that makes the other 80% of time meaningful,"" Dr. Salama explains. ""People simply like working at Northwell; it's a happy place that provides high-quality health care. I came here because it's a supportive environment that is dedicated to positive patient outcomes.""Although Dr. Salama enjoys keeping up with the innovations in his field and drawing on the collaborative environment within Northwell, what he appreciates most in his role are the connections he makes with patients.""There's magic there, when you're working together toward better health,"" he says. ""The relationship and trust between doctors and patients is a large part of what meaningful health care is about. Interacting with patients and their families, and finding solutions to their problems, is what makes me excited to come in every day.""". Dr. Salama is highly rated in 12 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Tongue Cancer, Ewing Sarcoma, Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Osteotomy, and Glossectomy.

"David Hirsch, MD, DDS, is the senior vice president of dental medicine at Northwell and chair of oral and maxillofacial surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital. He is also the chair of dental medicine and oral and maxillofacial surgery at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and North Shore University Hospital.Dr. Hirsch performs surgery to treat people with head and neck tumors and specializes in virtual surgical planning-the use of a patient's imaging scans to create 3D models of the anatomy to plan complex head and neck reconstructions involving the skull and jaw. He developed the groundbreaking ""Jaw in a Day"" procedure, which includes removing the tumor, grafting new bone into the jaw, reconstructing the jaw and performing dental restoration all at once, rather than in three separate surgeries.""My dad was a dentist and had an influence on my career goals,"" says Dr. Hirsch, a graduate of the NYU College of Dentistry. Because of a strong interest in head and neck anatomy, and an interest in performing complex surgery, he also decided to pursue a medical degree at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. After a residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, he completed fellowship training in head and neck surgical oncology at Legacy Emanuel Hospital - Providence Cancer Institute.A team-based approach to care that includes plastic surgeons, maxillofacial prosthodontists-who create prosthetic devices for the jaw-dental specialists, nutritionists and physical therapists is key to ensuring good patient outcomes. Dr. Hirsch encourages his patients to be an active part of the treatment decision-making process. ""Everyone we treat gets personalized care,"" says Dr. Hirsch. ""When a patient calls in the middle of the night, I'm the one who answers the phone.""In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Hirsch is professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He is also a member of the American Head and Neck Society, a fellow of the American College of Surgeon, and is board-certified in oral and maxillofacial surgery.One of the most valued parts of his job is the relationships he forms with patients. ""Because I'm involved in lifesaving treatment, I create strong bonds with people,"" says Dr. Hirsch. ""I get to see patients throughout their lives, and they become like family.""". Dr. Hirsch is highly rated in 5 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Bone Tumor, Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Tongue Cancer, Osteotomy, and Bone Graft.

Brian Schmidt is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon in New York, New York. Dr. Schmidt is highly rated in 3 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Tongue Cancer, Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Breast Cancer, Gastrostomy, and Mastectomy.