Margo K. McKenna Benoit

Margo K. McKenna Benoit, M.D., serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology and Department of Pediatrics at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. She directs Pediatric Otolaryngology at UR Medicine and Golisano Children’s Hospital while leading the Center for Aerodigestive Disorders, providing multidisciplinary care for complex pediatric airway and feeding conditions.

Education:

• B.S. in Neuroscience, Cornell University (1998)
• M.D., University at Buffalo School of Medicine (2003)
• Howard Hughes NIH Research Fellowship (2000-2001)
• General Surgery Internship, Brigham & Women’s Hospital (2004)
• Otolaryngology Residency, Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard (2004-2010)
• Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship, Boston Children’s Hospital (2010-2012)

Her research investigates developmental consequences of childhood hearing loss and tongue-tie impacts on feeding/speech. Key interests include aerodigestive disorders, congenital head/neck anomalies, pediatric sinus disease, and ear disorders. She examines auditory processing deficits years after conductive hearing loss resolution and develops classification systems for oral ties.

Recent publications (2021-2025) reveal strong focus on clinical guidelines development, with 5 major consensus statements including adult sinusitis and chronic rhinosinusitis management. Her work bridges ENT, sleep medicine, and neonatology, particularly in tongue-tie classification, aerodigestive care protocols, and pediatric sleep apnea management.

Scientific Recognition:

• GIN Scholar (2022) and AAMC Leadership Delegate (2018)
• ASPO Basic Science Prize (2018)
• URMC Resident Teaching Award (2016)
• American College of Surgeons Fellowship (2014)
• Howard Hughes Research Fellowship (2000-2001)

As Medical Director of the Center for Aerodigestive Disorders, she coordinates care across pulmonary, GI, sleep medicine, and critical care specialties. Her clinical teaching earned the 2016 URMC Resident Teaching Award, reflecting commitment to mentoring future otolaryngologists through complex case-based instruction.

The Center for Aerodigestive Disorders under her leadership integrates 6 pediatric specialties to manage complex airway/feeding cases. She collaborates with cystic fibrosis teams on ENT care protocols and develops emergency readiness tools for tracheostomy patients, emphasizing system-based approaches to high-risk pediatric conditions.