Portland surgeon begins new Providence oral cancer program
Degrees in dental school, then medical school, qualified Bryan Bell as an oral and maxillofacial head and neck surgeon

Published by the Medical Society of Metropolitan Portland

The Portland Physician Scribe

January 21, 2011

Dr. Bell begins new Providence oral cancer program

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The Providence Head and Neck Cancer Program offers world class care for patients with benign and malignant tumors of the oral cavity (mouth), tongue, pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), nose, paranasal sinuses, salivary glands, thyroid gland, as well as tumors at the skull base. The multidisciplinary treatment team, which includes Drs. Dierks and Potter, is comprised of physicians, dentists, nurses, speech pathologists, audiologists, nutritionists, and social workers, who work together to  provide optimal tumor control and maximal functional and esthetic outcomes.

On March 31, 2010, Dr. Eric Dierks of the Head and Neck Surgical Associates used the da Vinci surgical robot to remove cancerous tumors from the throats of two patients at Legacy Emanuel Hospital. We understand this to be first time on the West Coast that the da Vinci robot has been used to remove throat cancer. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) allows this operation to be done in a much more straightforward fashion than before, and both of Dr. Dierks’ patients went home after only two nights. Following the recent FDA approval of the robot for this purpose, a small number of leading head and neck oncologic surgeons from around the country were invited to complete the multi-step certification process in robotic surgery, and Dr. Dierks was honored to have been among this elite group.

If you would like a consultation regarding TORS for throat cancer or other tumors, please call 503-525-3634 for an appointment.

Presented by Head and Neck Surgical Associates, “The Portland Lecture” is an informal and educational event designed for orthodontists and surgeons engaged in the management of patients with dentofacial deformities. Through the generous support of the Stryker corporation, the lecture is held annually by nationally and internationally recognized surgeons and orthodontists in an effort to review the latest concepts in surgical-orthodontic treatment.

The past three decades have witnessed tremendous advances in the management of patients with severe dentofacial deformities. Orthognathic surgical procedures have been refined, distraction osteogenesis has been introduced, and patients have become much more aware of the benefits of combined surgical and orthodontic treatment. The lecture updates clinicians on the contemporary management of patients with severe dentofacial deformities, provides a forum for continuing education, and introduces novel approaches that give patients access to affordable surgical care.

This year’s lecture at Morton’s Steakhouse in downtown Portland featured speaker Felice S. O’Ryan, DDS.

Dr. Felice S. O’Ryan, DDS with Head and Neck Surgical Associates

Dr. O’Ryan is Director of the Maxillofacial Surgery Department for the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Oakland, California, where she has practiced since 1989. Dr. O’Ryan also serves as Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at both the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry in San Francisco, and the Alameda County Medical Center in Oakland.

Dr. Felice S. O’Ryan with Stryker

Dr. O’Ryan presented a very educational, and also entertaining, overview of her work. She focused on individual as well as cultural perceptions of aesthetics, facial symmetry, sociology, and the question of what makes a face attractive. She shared pre- and post-surgery images that highlighted her approach to preserve the patient’s unique biological makeup and ethnicity, while restoring function.

About 60 people were in attendance for the relaxed dinner lecture. The wonderful steak dinner with fine wine and the truly interesting presentation made for a successful and educational evening.

Doctors visiting and discussing the talk