Neal D. Futran, MD, DMD

ALLISON T. WANAMAKER PROFESSOR AND ENDOWED CHAIR

"I strive to provide the ideal experience and state-of-the-art care for my patients' head and neck issues. No question is too small, and listening to the needs of patients and their families is central to achieving optimal and successful outcomes. I have been incredibly fortunate in my career to be on the forefront of head and neck cancer care and complex reconstruction. This has allowed me to fulfill my passion of teaching and training the next generation of surgeons worldwide."

Biography

Neal D. Futran, MD, DMD, joined the University of Washington faculty in 1995. He is currently the Allison T. Wanamaker Professor and Endowed Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. He is also director of Head and Neck Surgery as well as an adjunct professor in the Departments of Plastic Surgery and Neurological Surgery. Dr. Futran earned his dentistry degree at the University of Pennsylvania. He completed training in oral and maxillofacial surgery and earned his M.D. at the Health Science Center at Brooklyn, New York. He then trained in otolaryngology - head & neck surgery at the University of Rochester, followed by a head and neck oncology and microvascular surgery fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York with Dr. Mark Urken. Dr. Futran became an assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of South Florida in 1993, specializing in head and neck oncologic and reconstructive surgery. He subsequently relocated to Seattle.

Dr. Futran is board certified in otolaryngology and has outstanding expertise and an active practice in head and neck oncology as well as microvascular reconstruction and rehabilitation of complex oncology and trauma cases. He also specializes in skull base surgery, utilizing both endoscopic and open approaches. His major research activities center on microvascular reconstruction of the head and neck, and he also participates in grants studying molecular profiles and gene analysis in oral carcinogenesis.

He enjoys teaching worldwide on the topics of head and neck reconstruction, craniofacial trauma, skull base surgery, and head and neck oncology. He is on the board of directors of the AO Foundation and is a trustee for UW Physicians and the Virginia Bloedel Hearing Research Institute. Dr. Futran is on the editorial boards of several scientific journals and is an associate editor for both Head and Neck and Oral Oncology. He is listed in the Best Doctors in America.

Current CV

Overview

Undergraduate Education: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa., 1978

Medical School: SUNY-Downstate Medical School, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1987; University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, Pa.,, 1982.

Internship: Temple University Department of Surgery, Philadelphia, Pa., 1988

Residency: University of Rochester Dept. of Otolaryngology-HNS, Rochester, N.Y., 1992

Fellowship: Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Head and Neck Oncology and Microvascular Reconstruction, New York, N.Y., 1993

Other Training: Residency in Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, King County Hospital/SUNY-Downstate Medical School, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1985

Board Certification: Otolaryngology-HNS, 1993

Specialties

Awards and Honors

  • 1998, 2011: Driftwood Award, Faculty Teaching Award, Oto-Head & Neck Surgery
  • 2013: American Head and Neck Surgery Presidential Citation
  • 2017: UW Medicine Award of Excellence for Improvement of Physician Satisfaction Scores over a 3 year period.
  • 2019: AAOHNS Distinguished Service Award
  • 2021: Keynote speaker, Canadian Association of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology
  • 2006-2021: US Best Doctors, US Best Doctors for Cancer, Seattle Top Docs, Seattle Met magazine Top Doctors

Clinical Interests

Dr. Futran's clinical interests include head and neck oncology and microvascular reconstruction and rehabilitation of complex, oncology and trauma cases. He also specializes in skull base surgery utilizing both endoscopic and open approaches.

Recent Publications

Research Areas

Research Focus

Dr. Futran's major research activities center on outcomes of microvascular reconstruction of the head and neck and he also participates in projects studying molecular profiles and gene analysis in oral carcinogenesis. He also leads head and neck process improvement projects throughout UW Medicine.