Dana L. Suskind

  • Title: Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics; Director, Pediatric Hearing Loss and Cochlear Implant Program; Co-Director, TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health
  • Education: BS, MD, both from the University of Missouri–Kansas City
  • Joined UChicago Medicine: 2002
  • dsuskind@surgery.bsd.uchicago.edu
  • @drdanasuskind

Dana L. Suskind

Dana Suskind, MD, is a pediatric otolaryngologist who specializes in hearing loss and cochlear implantation. She directs University of Chicago Medicine’s Pediatric Hearing Loss and Cochlear Implant Program.

A recognized thought leader on the national stage, Prof. Suskind has dedicated her research and clinical life to optimizing foundational brain development and preventing early cognitive disparities and their lifelong impact. She is founder and co-director of the TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health, which aims to create a population-level shift in the knowledge and behavior of parents and caregivers to optimize the foundational brain development in children, birth to five years of age, particularly those born into poverty. In 2015, her book Thirty Million Words: Building a Child’s Brain was published by Dutton. Her follow-up book, Parent Nation: Unlocking Every Child’s Potential, Fulfilling Society’s Promise, will be published by Dutton in April, 2022.

 

Prof. Suskind has received the Weizmann Women for Science Vision and Impact award, the SENTAC Gray Humanitarian Award, the LENA Research Foundation Making a Difference Award, the Chairman’s Award from the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in 2018, and the John D. Arnold, MD Mentor Award for Sustained Excellence from the Pritzker School of Medicine.

Media Contacts

Ashley Heher

Director of Media Relations, University of Chicago Medical Center

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Expertise

Language development, Pediatric cochlear implantation

Suskind Stories

UChicago surgeon searches for new ways to empower families

Cochlear implant surgeon Dana Suskind takes on new role as parent advocate

UChicago surgeon gives cochlear implants to two generations: a father and infant son

The audiologist clicked a link on her computer screen, and 10-month-old Dennis Hill perked up. His eyes began to dart around the room. “Denny?” his mom said. “Can you hear me?” his dad said, as a smile spread across Dennis’ face.

Chicago libraries aim to give away 1 million children's books

Prof. Dana Suskind describes importance of books for early childhood development