John Dentel, MD
Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Congenital Heart Surgery
Locations
Memorial Division of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
1150 North 35th Avenue
Suite 490
Hollywood, FL 33021
954-265-3731
About Me
I am a pediatric heart surgeon at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. I treat patients — from newborns to adults — with congenital heart disease, performing all the necessary operations that help improve their longevity and quality of life. I also perform surgeries related to advanced heart failure, including implantation of mechanical circulatory assist devices and heart transplantation.
I have wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember. I entered general surgery residency with the intent of becoming a pediatric general surgeon. That changed during my intern year when my dad had heart surgery. My curiosity in cardiac care peaked and I chose to combine my interests in the heart, surgery and taking care of children to pursue congenital cardiac surgery.
My focus is always on my patients and their families. I see myself as a partner with parents and believe it’s important to help them understand the underlying diagnosis, surgery and possible outcomes. I want them to feel comfortable asking questions, sharing ideas and stories and knowing that I will always advocate for their child.
As for the kids, I want them to know I’m doing everything I can to make them feel better, even if it’s hard at first. One of my patients nicknamed me “Bear” because he considered himself a cub and I was in charge of taking care of him. I hope all my patients feel that same sense of safety and comfort in my care.
While I love all aspects of my clinical work, my favorite part is spending time caring for my pediatric patients. Their sweet smiles and funny conversations are hands-down the best part of my day. I believe children should be able to be children; they need to be able to go to school, spend time with their family and play with their friends. I will do whatever I can to make that happen for my patients.
In addition to providing patient care, I also enjoy working on quality improvement projects and initiatives that enhance the everyday bedside care of our patients.
I have wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember. I entered general surgery residency with the intent of becoming a pediatric general surgeon. That changed during my intern year when my dad had heart surgery. My curiosity in cardiac care peaked and I chose to combine my interests in the heart, surgery and taking care of children to pursue congenital cardiac surgery.
My focus is always on my patients and their families. I see myself as a partner with parents and believe it’s important to help them understand the underlying diagnosis, surgery and possible outcomes. I want them to feel comfortable asking questions, sharing ideas and stories and knowing that I will always advocate for their child.
As for the kids, I want them to know I’m doing everything I can to make them feel better, even if it’s hard at first. One of my patients nicknamed me “Bear” because he considered himself a cub and I was in charge of taking care of him. I hope all my patients feel that same sense of safety and comfort in my care.
While I love all aspects of my clinical work, my favorite part is spending time caring for my pediatric patients. Their sweet smiles and funny conversations are hands-down the best part of my day. I believe children should be able to be children; they need to be able to go to school, spend time with their family and play with their friends. I will do whatever I can to make that happen for my patients.
In addition to providing patient care, I also enjoy working on quality improvement projects and initiatives that enhance the everyday bedside care of our patients.
Education
Education
Wayne State University School Of Medicine, 2009
Residency
Hospital Of St Raphael, 2012, Surgery
Yale University School Of Medicine, 2014
Fellowships
Indiana University, 2017, Cardiothoracic Surgery
Washington University/Seattle Children's Hospital, 2018, Congenital Cardiac Surgery
Certifications
American Board of Thoracic Surgery-Cardiothoracic Surgery
American Board of Thoracic Surgery-Congenital Cardiac Surgery
Awards, Achievements, and More
Professional Organizations
• Society of Thoracic Surgeons• International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation
Presentations
• Extracorporeal Membrane Support for Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children. 50th Critical Care Congress. Virtual Meeting. 2021.• Berlin Heart EXCOR explantation in a patient with life-threatening arrhythmia. The Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society 16th Annual International Meeting. Virtual Meeting. 2020.
• Congenital Panel: The Value of Collaboration in the Congenital World. The Michigan Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (MSTCVS) 55th Annual Summer Conference. Virtual Meeting. 2020.
• Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in the Emergency Department. Western Thoracic Surgical Association 44th Annual Meeting, Goleta, California. 2018.
• Poor Out-patient Clinic Appointment Compliance is a Predictor of Post-Heart Transplant Mortality in Children. The International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation 38th Annual Meeting, Nice, France. 2018.
• Duration of ECMO Predicts Survival in Transplant Patients. The International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation 38th Annual Meeting, Nice, France. 2018.
• Ministering to the Sick: The Evolving Role of the Physician. Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Grand Rounds, New Haven, Connecticut. 2014.
• Mechanical strain is not the mechanism for p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation in fast skeletal muscle. Experimental Biology Meetings, Washington, D.C. 2004.
• The effects of skeletal muscle force production on intracellular signaling cascades. McNair/SROP Research Symposium. Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. 2003.
• The effects of contractile activity on the phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase in mouse skeletal muscle. University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum. Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. 2003.
• The effects of metabolic stress on the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK in mouse skeletal muscle. Southern California Conference on Undergraduate Research. California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California. 2002.
• The effects of metabolic stress on the activation of p38 MAPK in mouse skeletal muscle. McNair/SROP Research Symposium. Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. 2002.
Awards
• Hour Magazine – Metro Detroit Top Docs List (Peer-voted), Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery Detroit, Michigan, October 2020.• Hour Magazine – Metro Detroit Top Docs List (Peer-voted), Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery Detroit, Michigan, October 2019.
• Joint Council on Thoracic Surgery Education (JCTSE) Top Gun Finalist, American Association of Thoracic Surgery (AATS) 95th Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, 2015.
• Invited Guest Speaker, Securing Your Fellowship Workshop, American College of Surgeons Connecticut Chapter Annual Meeting Farmington, Connecticut, 2013.
• Resident of the Year Award 2012-2013, The Faculty of the General Surgery Residency Program, Yale New Haven Hospital and Saint Raphael Campus 4, Yale University School of Medicine Department of Surgery, New Haven, Connecticut, 2013.
• The Walter E. Pleban, M.D. Award for Professional Excellence, Burn Unit Resident of the Year, Bridgeport Hospital/ Yale New Haven Health System, Department of Surgery, Bridgeport, Connecticut, 2011.
• Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, Peer-Selected Representative Hospital of Saint Raphael, Department of Surgery, New Haven, Connecticut, 2011.
• Gold Humanism Honor Society, Wayne State University School of Medicine Chapter, Detroit, Michigan, 2008.
• American Medical Association – Medical Student Section, 2007 Interim Meeting Honolulu, Hawaii Travel Award, Wayne State University School of Medicine American Medical Association – Wayne County Medical Society, 2007.
• American Medical Association – Medical Student Section, 2006 Interim Meeting Las Vegas, Nevada Travel Award, Wayne State University School of Medicine, American Medical Association –Wayne County Medical Society, 2006.
• 9th Annual Conference on Bioethics, Tainted Alliance: Challenging Ethics of Engagement Between Medicine and the Pharmaceutical Industry Traverse City, Michigan Travel Award, Wayne State University School of Medicine, American Medical Association, Michigan State Medical Society, 2005.
• The American Physiological Society, Undergraduate Poster Session, Annual Experimental Biology Meetings, Washington, D.C., 2004.
• The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement, Program/Summer Research Opportunity Program (McNair/SROP), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 2003.
• University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan First Place Award – Organismal Biology – Oral Presentation, 2003.
• Southern California Conference, Undergraduate Research in Affiliation with the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California Travel Award – Oral Presentation, 2002.
• The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement, Program/Summer Research Opportunity Program (McNair/SROP), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 2002.