Hackensack University Medical Center Opens Voice Center

Brian Benson, M.D., specializes in voice, swallowing, and airway disorders

Hackensack University Medical Center (HUMC) is proud to announce the opening of its Voice Center. The Voice Center is under the direction of Brian Benson, M.D., of Englewood, a fellowship-trained laryngologist and Juilliard-educated musician who brings an unparalleled perspective to the field.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Benson as medical director of the first and only center in New Jersey for the comprehensive care of laryngeal (voice box) disorders. Dr. Benson is unique as the only physician in the United States with both a professional music background and laryngology fellowship training,” said Ronald B. Low, M.D., chairperson of the Department of Otolaryngology at HUMC. “A wide variety of medical conditions can lead to voice and swallowing problems. Dr. Benson’s extensive training in all aspects of medical and surgical treatments for laryngeal disorders will enable him to apply new, cutting-edge technology and treatments to patients in a way that was previously inaccessible to patients seeking treatment in New Jersey.”

Dr. Benson’s team at the Voice Center includes adult and pediatric speech pathologists whose expertise in voice and swallow therapy represent a critical component of the Voice Center multidisciplinary approach to voice problems.

“Voice is a function that many people take for granted. However, laryngeal problems negatively impact people’s lives, especially professionals such as entertainers, media personalities, teachers, clergy, attorneys, telemarketers, and receptionists, to name just a few,” states Dr. Benson. “Diseases affecting the larynx usually cause a change in voice quality or strength, although they can also cause breathing and swallowing problems. People who suffer from voice problems often experience difficulty communicating, which can lead to fatigue, frustration, social withdrawal, workplace problems, and can even contribute to depression.”

“There are many causes that make the voice sound different, including overuse, infection, neurological problems, aging, and growths,” states Dr. Benson. “I urge people to listen to their own voices. For example, if your voice does not return to normal within four weeks after a cold or upper respiratory infection, a laryngeal exam is recommended. Another situation for which I strongly recommend an examination of the larynx is if someone is a smoker or former smoker, and something does not feel right or sound right. When detected early, many laryngeal pre-malignant and malignant growths can be treated with a very high cure rate and minimal side-effects.”

Dr. Benson majored in Trumpet Performance, graduating from the Juilliard School in New York City, after which time he was selected as the principal trumpet of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. Upon his return to New York City, he performed with numerous orchestras and Broadway shows, maintained a faculty position at the Manhattan School of Music and completed the Columbia University post-baccalaureate pre-medical program. He received his medical degree from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and continued his training in Otolaryngology at the University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey Medical School (UMDNJ). Dr. Benson then returned to Columbia University for a laryngology fellowship under the tutelage of Dr. Andrew Blitzer, with additional training in neurolaryngology, minimally-invasive laryngeal cancer surgery, and care of the professional voice.

Dr. Benson is a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, the Gold Humanism Honor Society, the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, and Sigma Xi. Dr. Benson has been honored as one of America’s Top Doctors in 2007 and 2008 by the Consumer Research Council of America. He has authored multiple articles in peer-reviewed journals, as well as presented original research at regional and national meetings. He has authored multiple chapters for the popular eMedicine.com website, and will be a contributing author in a forthcoming textbook about the therapeutic uses of botulinum toxin (Botox) in the head and neck. He is a board member of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation and served as its Robert Wood Johnson National White Coat Ceremony coordinator. With his wife, Amelia Gold, he has

founded the Gold Foundation Associates Committee. Dr. Benson joined HUMC in 2008.

For three years in a row, HealthGrades® named HUMC one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals. This designation recognizes hospitals that have demonstrated superior clinical quality over a seven-year time period. HUMC is the only healthcare facility in New Jersey, New York, and New England to be named one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Only one percent of the nation’s hospitals can make this claim.

To contact the Voice Center at HUMC, please call 201-996-2750. To learn more about the medical center, please visit www.humc.com.