UAMS ENT

11/27/2025

Today, our hearts are full. We are grateful for our patients, our families, our colleagues, and our community who trust us, support us, and inspire us every single day.

Thank you for allowing us to care for you and your loved ones. It’s an honor we never take lightly.

As we celebrate this season of gratitude, we wish you a day filled with warmth, joy, and moments that make you pause and appreciate the good around you.

From our ENT family to yours — Happy Thanksgiving!

11/25/2025

We are overjoyed to share some amazing news!

Gresham Richter, M.D., FACS, FAAP, will be stepping into the role of Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, effective December 1.

Dr. Richter has been an integral part of our team for years—bringing not just incredible skill and experience, but also heart, passion, and a true commitment to the children and families we serve. From nearly a decade as Chief of Pediatric Otolaryngology to his national leadership in ENT, Dr. Richter has consistently inspired those around him with his vision, dedication, and excellence.

His remarkable journey includes:

*Serving as Professor & Vice Chair of the department since 2017

*Leading Pediatric Otolaryngology as Chief since 2016

*National leadership roles, including President of the American Broncho-Esophagological Association and the Society for Ear, Nose, and Throat Advances in Children

*Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Vascular Anomalies

*Over 140 publications, 5 books, and 40+ book chapters

We couldn’t be more thrilled to see him take on this new role, and we are so excited for the future of our department under his leadership. Please join us in celebrating Dr. Richter and all that’s ahead!

11/24/2025

A huge congratulations to our very own Dr. Robert Saadi! Thanks to his expertise, this 11-week-old patient is now able to hear following a life-changing procedure. Moments like these, where people hear their loved ones’ voices for the first time, is why we do what we do!

Arkansas Children’s pediatric otolaryngologist Dr. Robert Saadi successfully performed bilateral cochlear implant surgery on an 11-week-old patient, making her the youngest in Arkansas – and one of the youngest ever – to undergo this procedure.

Cochlear implants work by bypassing the damaged parts of the inner ear and sending sound signals directly to the auditory nerve, giving children access to sound even with profound hearing loss.

After a severe case of meningitis, the patient’s cochlea began to ossify, which happens when inflammation causes new bone to form and close the normal fluid-filled channel of the cochlea, placing her at high risk for permanent profound hearing loss, and it can prevent cochlear implantation in the future.

When the implant was activated, her parents witnessed an unforgettable moment: the restoration of their daughter’s hearing and her responding to their voices for the first time since she had meningitis.

Congratulations to our cochlear implant team on this incredible achievement!

11/13/2025

We are proud to celebrate our very own Susan D. Emmett, M.D., MPH, professor of otolaryngology and epidemiology and director of the UAMS Center for Hearing Health Access, for receiving a $39,552 Chancellor’s Circle grant for the Center for Hearing Health Access project, “Developing a Community-Informed Framework to Improve Access to Low-Cost Hearing Devices in Rural Arkansas.”

This work focuses on improving access to affordable over-the-counter hearing devices for older adults in rural, underserved communities. Hearing devices can help lower the risk or severity of cognitive decline, depression, and falls, leading to a better quality of life and potentially lower health care costs. Yet fewer than one in three older adults in the U.S. with hearing loss who could benefit from hearing devices have ever used them, and the number is likely even lower in rural Arkansas.

The Center for Hearing Health Access team will partner with community members to identify:
• Affordable, acceptable over-the-counter device options
• Preferred locations to obtain these devices
• Trusted local partners, such as primary care staff and pharmacists, who can help older adults select and fit them

This work is part of a larger investment in innovation at UAMS, as UAMS awarded 14 grants totaling $273,072 at the annual Chancellor’s Circle Grant Awards ceremony on Nov. 3 at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum.

Congratulations, Dr. Emmett, and thank you for advancing hearing health access for older adults across Arkansas!

11/12/2025

We are so proud of Dr. Adrian Williamson IV!! 👏 👏 👏

10/28/2025

Interns + first white coats. Confidence unlocked. Swipe for the googly eyes.

10/24/2025

UAMS Otolaryngology residents had a great evening at Basic Science hosted by Dr. Moreno! Dr. Goodman led an engaging session on Endocrine Anatomy & Physiology, complete with a delicious paella dinner from Mi Paella.

Thank you, Dr. Moreno, for opening your home and always setting the tone for good conversation, good food, and great learning.

10/14/2025

Grateful to Thoracic Surgeon, Dr. Nick Tingquist for presenting “Tracheal Reconstructive Techniques” at Otolaryngology Grand Rounds. Great discussion, practical tips, and thoughtful answers to tough airway questions. Our residents, fellows, and visiting students left better prepared for the next airway challenge.

10/14/2025

UAMS Otolaryngology joins Paint Arkansas Pink!
Our ENT residents, fellows, and visiting medical students are proud to support the Paint Arkansas Pink campaign this October to raise awareness for breast cancer. 💗

Together, we stand with those affected and celebrate the survivors who inspire us every day.

10/09/2025

🎉 Happy Birthday to Dr. James Y. Suen! 🎂

Today we celebrate a true legend in Otolaryngology and a cornerstone of UAMS.
Dr. Suen has dedicated over 50 years to caring for Arkansans, training generations of surgeons, and advancing the field of head and neck surgery worldwide.

An alumnus of the UAMS College of Medicine, Dr. Suen has built a legacy of excellence, compassion, and innovation that continues to shape our department and the specialty at large.

Thank you, Dr. Suen, for your lifelong commitment to education, research, and patient care, and for setting the bar so high for all who follow in your footsteps.

Please join us in wishing Dr. Suen a very happy birthday! 🩺🎈

09/14/2025

Happy birthday Dr. Siddarth “Sid” Patel. You give your patients top care every day and you give Rupal and Ruhi the rockstar dad treatment at home. We are lucky to have a PGY3 who leads with skill and kindness. Enjoy your day, Sid. 🎉