Margo K. McKenna Benoit, M.D.

Professional Background

Dr. Margo McKenna Benoit is the Director of Pediatric Otolaryngology at the University of Rochester Medical Center and Golisano Children’s Hospital, the only free-standing children’s hospital in Rochester, New York. Dr. McKenna Benoit is a board certified Otolaryngologist, and has specialty fellowship training in Pediatric Otolaryngology. Her clinical practice is dedicated to the full spectrum of complex pediatric otolaryngology, including airway and aerodigestive disorders, ankyloglossia (tongue tie), congenital head and neck abnormalities/tumors, pediatric sinus disease, and disorders of the ear and hearing, including implantable hearing devices and cochlear implants. She collaborates closely with providers from the divisions of pulmonary medicine, gastroenterology, sleep medicine, critical care, and the pediatric surgical specialties to provide team-based multidisciplinary care for pediatric patients. Dr. McKenna Benoit established the Center for Aerodigestive Disorders at the University of Rochester, and is dedicated to helping children achieve their fullest potential in health, wellness, growth and development. Dr. McKenna Benoit is skilled at working with children with disabilities, including autism, hearing loss, Down syndrome, and craniofacial disorders.

Dr. McKenna Benoit earned a bachelor of science degree with neuroscience concentration from Cornell University. She pursued her medical training at the University of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, including a one-year fellowship at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD, sponsored by the Howard Hughes Foundation. She completed her surgical and specialty training at Harvard, including a general surgery internship at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, otolaryngology residency with special research focus at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and pediatric otolaryngology fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital.

Dr. McKenna Benoit’s research is centered around the developmental consequences of early childhood events, including the relationship between otitis media-related hearing loss and auditory processing later in childhood, and the impact of tongue tie on feeding and speech development. Results of her research have achieved national and international recognition. She is an active member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology, including committee leadership and guideline development for epistaxis (nose bleeds) and cystic fibrosis-related sinus disease.