
Dr. Anastasios Hantzakos, MD, is a Staff Physician within the Otolaryngology (ENT) Department of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Surgical Institute. He is also Program Director of the Otolaryngology Residency.
Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Hantzakos was a Consultant at the Hellenic National Health System, followed by a fellowship in Phonosurgery and Laryngeal Laser Surgery. He also served as Consultant and Director of the Voice Clinic at NUKA and as a Clinical Associate Professor at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, US.
Dr. Hantzakos received his medical degree from the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens (NUKA) in 1991. He completed his basic surgical training at Emory University, Atlanta, US and received his specialist certification in Otorhinolaryngology from NUKA at Hippocration General Hospital of Athens. Subsequently, he received additional training as a Senior Registrar in the UK, with special interest in Rhinology and Otology. He went on to receive a PhD from the NUKA in 2003, as well as a master’s degree in Health Administration (MHA) from the Hellenic Open University in 2015.
Dr. Hantzakos has been featured in numerous papers in international journals and textbooks. He is an active member of member of various study groups within the European Laryngological Society (ELS) and an examiner and fellow of the European Board Examinations in otorhinolaryngology, head and neck surgery since 2010. He is also a member of the International Association of Phenosurgeons, the Voice Foundation and European Society for Swallowing Disorders.
Dr. Hantzakos enjoys spending his free time with his family. He is an avid long distance runner and triathlete and enjoys playing the guitar and drums.

Dr. Cesare Piazza is Full Professor and Chief of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery of the University of Brescia, School of Medicine, since 2020. He received his MD degree at the University of Pavia, Italy in 1996 and completed his Residency Program in Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery in Brescia in 2001. He became Assistant Professor in 2007 and Associate Professor – Chief of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Maxillofacial, and Thyroid Surgery of the National Cancer Institute, University of Milan, Italy in 2017.
His clinical and research activities are focused on head and neck oncology, with special emphasis to laryngo-hypopharyngeal, tracheal, oral, thyroid, parotid, sarcoma, laser, and reconstructive microsurgery.

Dr. Fady Geara, MD, PhD, is a distinguished radiation oncologist and academic leader with more than three decades of international experience in clinical care, research, education, and cancer program development. He currently serves as Consultant and Chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Oncology Institute, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
Dr. Geara completed his medical training in France and advanced clinical and research training at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he earned a PhD in Radiation Biology and later joined the faculty of Radiation Oncology. His research has focused on radiation biology and individual variation in normal-tissue response to radiation therapy, with 124 peer-reviewed publications and 65 published abstracts.
From 1997 to 2021, Dr. Geara was Professor and Chairman of Radiation Oncology at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, where he founded the Department of Radiation Oncology and later the Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute. He has been recognized for his contributions to oncology education and program development, including leadership in establishing an ACGME-International accredited radiation oncology residency program.

Dr. Ghassan Alokby is Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, and Adjunct Faculty at Alfaisal University. His practice and research focus on rhinology and endoscopic skull base surgery, including sinonasal malignancy, CSF leak repair, and type 2 inflammatory airway disease. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, serves on committees of the American Rhinologic Society and the Saudi Otorhinolaryngology Society, and is Principal Investigator on international clinical trials in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. He lectures and teaches widely at regional and international rhinology and skull base courses.

Prof. James Loock served as Head of the ENT Division at the University of Stellenbosch and Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa, from 2001 to 2022. He is a Past-President of the South African ENT Society.
His clinical interests are focused on otology, particularly the management of chronic otitis media, which remains common in South Africa, as well as cholesteatoma surgery and cochlear implantation.
A dedicated teacher, Prof. Loock has a strong commitment to ENT education at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He established the annual Cape Temporal Bone Course and has been involved in teaching on the course since its inception 25 years ago.

Dr. Jessica Schwarts is a Venezuelan-born ENT surgeon specializing in Sleep Medicine and Sleep Surgery, with extensive expertise in the surgical management of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
She completed her Otolaryngology residency in Caracas, Venezuela, followed by subspecialty training in Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Surgery at Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Mexico, and earned a Diploma in Sleep Medicine from Universidad de los Andes, Chile.
Dr. Schwarts serves as Director of the Sleep Laboratory at American Hospital Dubai – Science Park and was the first female surgeon in the Middle East to perform hypoglossal nerve stimulation for obstructive sleep apnea. She is also a peer reviewer for leading international medical journals and a Founding Board Member of the Ibero-American Sleep Surgery Society (SIBECS).
An active member of the International Sleep Surgery Society (ISSS), Dr. Schwarts contributes to the advancement of sleep surgery through her involvement in the Program Committee and as an Adjunct Professor in the United Arab Emirates.
Dr. John Victor P. is an accomplished ENT Consultant with over 21 years of post-specialization experience in advanced rhinology, skull base surgery, otology, laryngology and sialendoscopy. He currently serves at NMC Specialty Hospital, Abu Dhabi, and holds qualifications including MRCS (London), FACS (USA), EBEORL & HNS, and DOHNS. A recipient of three Gold Medals, he is recognized for clinical excellence and international training.

Dr. Hussain Alsaffar is a distinguished Otolaryngologist and Head and Neck Surgeon specializing in oncology and complex microvascular reconstruction. After earning his medical degree from King Faisal University, he completed his residency in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at Western University, London, Ontario, followed by a two-year fellowship in Head and Neck Oncology and Microvascular Reconstruction at the University of Toronto.
He previously served as Program Director for the Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Residency Program and Fellowship Director for Head and Neck Oncology and Microvascular Reconstruction at the University of Ottawa, where he also chaired the weekly Head and Neck Mucosal Oncology Tumor Board.
In 2023, Dr. Alsaffar returned to Saudi Arabia to join King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh. Renowned for his commitment to excellence in patient care and education, he continues to advance innovation in surgical oncology and reconstruction.
Dr. Alsaffar brings his wealth of expertise and engaging leadership to guide meaningful clinical discussions and knowledge exchange.

Dr. Khoula Basahel is an Associate Staff Physician in the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. She is an Arab Board- and NIHS-certified Otolaryngologist and a faculty member of the Otolaryngology Residency Program at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, where she contributes to the education and training of future otolaryngologists.

Dr. Kurt Schlemmer, MD, is a Staff Physician within the Otolaryngology (ENT) Department of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Surgical Institute.
Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Schlemmer worked as a Consultant ENT Head and Neck Surgeon at Harley Street Medical Centre and Burjeel Medical City in Abu Dhabi.
Prior to this he worked as a Consultant ENT Head and Neck Surgeon at Hillcrest Private Hospital, Durban, South Africa, and was the Director of the Durban Cochlear Implant Program.
Dr. Schlemmer received his medical degree from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He completed a masters degree (MMED ENT) at the University of Kwazulu Natal, Durban and a fellowship in Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery from the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa FCORL (SA) with distinction.
Dr. Schlemmer has had further training in otology, neurotology and skull base surgery in Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, the UK and many others.
Dr. Schlemmer has delivered more than 40 academic presentations and has published numerous articles in peer reviewed journals such as the Journal of Laryngology and Otology and the Journal of International Advanced Otology. He is a recognised reviewer for the International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology and serves on the international editorial board of Cochlear Implants International.
Dr. Schlemmer resides in Abu Dhabi with his wife and two children and enjoys camping in the desert and cycling in his spare time.

Dr. Lubna Alhourani, MD, is a Staff Physician in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine within Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Hospital Care Institute.
Before joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Alhourani served as an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, USA. She earned her medical degree from the University of Jordan School of Medicine in Amman, Jordan, and completed her residency in Internal Medicine, followed by a fellowship in Sleep Medicine, at the University of Florida.
Throughout her career, Dr. Alhourani has developed extensive expertise in sleep medicine, with a particular interest in the diagnosis and management of sleep disorders and their impact on overall health and quality of life. She remains actively engaged in advancing patient care through evidence
based clinical practice and multidisciplinary collaboration.
Dr. Alhourani currently resides in Abu Dhabi with her husband and four children. Outside of her professional responsibilities, she enjoys cooking, baking, and spending time with her family.

Dr. Mahdi Shkoukani, MD, is Division Chair of Otolaryngology (ENT) within Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Surgical Institute.
He is also a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Learner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University. Also, Dr. Shkoukani is the Medical Director for Supply Chain Operations at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
Dr. Shkoukani is a double American Board-certified surgeon in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, as well as in Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.
Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Shkoukani served as an Associate Professor and Chief of Craniofacial Surgery at the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, US. Additionally, he was the chief of otolaryngology at the John D. Dingell Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, US.
He received his Medical Degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine with high distinction. He then completed a general surgery internship and residency in Otolaryngology at Wayne State University. Following his residency, he completed a Craniomaxillofacial/ Skull Base and Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, US.
Dr. Shkoukani’s clinical interests included treating cranial/skull base pathology, head and neck cancer, congenital craniofacial anomalies, craniofacial trauma, management of cutaneous malignancies, the functional and reconstructive aspects of facial plastic surgery as well as sinus disease.
Dr. Shkoukani has been active in clinical research in both fields of Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery. He has numerous publications in these fields and has given lectures at local and national scientific meetings. Dr. Shkoukani has been very involved in residents education as he served as the Residency Program Director for 3 years at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi prior to becoming the Department Chair.

Dr. Maryam Ali AlQaydi is a Consultant Otolaryngologist–Head & Neck Surgeon and Laryngologist at Sheikh Khalifa Hospital, Fujairah, UAE, where she serves as Head of the ENT Department and previously led Medical Education. She is a former ENT Residency Program Director at Tawam Hospital and serves on national NIHS accreditation and specialty committees and the ACGME International Review Committee for Surgical Specialties.
She is an Adjunct Associate Professor at UAE University and Ajman University, actively teaching medical students, interns, and residents. Her clinical and academic interests include laryngology, voice and airway disorders, medical education, accreditation, leadership, and surgical training.

Professor Mohamed Abuzakouk is a Consultant in Allergy and Clinical Immunology and serves as Chair of the Allergy and Immunology Division at the Medical Subspecialties Institute, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. He is also a Clinical Professor of Medicine at Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, USA. Professor Abuzakouk is the Founder and President of the Gulf Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (GA²CI). Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Professor Abuzakouk was the Lead Consultant Immunologist and Allergist in the Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy at Hull Royal Infirmary in the United Kingdom. He has participated in numerous international research studies and has published extensively on various aspects of immunologic and allergic diseases in peer-reviewed journals. He has served as Principal Investigator in multiple European multicenter research projects and has been actively involved in national and regional medical organizations in the UK, including contributing to the work of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

Prof. Mohamad EL Bitar is a Consultant ENT Surgeon and Chief of Pediatric Otolaryngology at Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital, Dubai, UAE. He is a clinical professor with MBRU, Dubai, and the Director of Research & Audit at Al Jalila Children’s Hospital. Prof. Bitar did his training at both the American University of Beirut and the George Washington University and its Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the Royal Society of Medicine and a member of several international specialty societies, including ASPO, AAP and SENTAC. Prof. Bitar established the Section of Pediatric Otolaryngology at the American University of Beirut, which he leaded between 2002 and 2015. He then joined the staff of the Department of ENT Surgery at the Children Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, Australia (2013 & 2014). Prof. Bitar has been involved in teaching and researching pediatric otolaryngology. He has published many articles pertinent to his field. He has also participated in several national, regional, and international meetings and workshops.

Dr. Mondy Hammad is a Consultant ENT surgeon who is well-known both nationally and internationally as an experienced ear and cochlear implant surgeon. He is German Board certified in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck surgery. He helped in founding the cochlear implant program in Cairo University, Egypt in 1998. He then founded the first governmental cochlear implant program in UAE in Mafraq hospital in 2008. He was involved in doing almost 1000 implants in Germany, Egypt, and UAE.

Dr. Muaaz Tarabichi is recognized around the world as the father of endoscopic ear surgery. He is a world-renowned Ear and Sinus Surgeon, and the Co-Founder of Tarabichi Stammberger Ear and Sinus Institute (TSESI) in Dubai, UAE. Under his leadership and guidance, the Institute holds a group of ENT surgeons and healthcare research personnels whose sole mission is to improve the quality, safety, and effectiveness of medical interventions in Ear, Nose and Throat surgeries in the middle east region.
For the last 30 years, as a pioneer in Endoscopic Ear and Sinus Surgery and American Board-certified ENT Surgeon, Dr. Tarabichi has spearheaded and established groundbreaking and revolutionary medical techniques in the field, including the Tarabichi Stitch for Endoscopic Ear Surgery, as well as the Eustachian Tuboplasty Technique known as Endoscopic Transtympanic Eustachian Tube Dilatation.

Dr. Ra’ed Al-ashqar, MD, MRCSI (ENT), FRCS (ORL-HNS), is an Associate Staff Physician within the Otolaryngology (ENT) Department at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Surgical Institute.
Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Ra’ed worked as a Rhinology and Anterior Skull Base Fellow at University Hospitals Plymouth, UK, where he completed an extensive 2-year Fellowship.
Dr. Ra’ed received his medical degree from Jordan University of Science and Technology, after which he completed a 5-year residency program in Otolaryngology at King Abdullah University Hospital. He also received his master’s degree in Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery from Jordan University of Science and Technology.
He has been Jordanian Board Certified since 2023 and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in the specialty of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck surgery since 2025.
His academic work includes multiple publications in reputable medical journals, along with contributions to several textbook chapters in the field of Otolaryngology.
Dr. Ra’ed resides in Abu Dhabi with his family. He enjoys spending his free time with his family, as well as reading fiction novels, gaming, and outdoor activities.

Dr. Saied is a Consultant ENT working in Medcare, sub-specializing in sinus and skull base surgery. He has authored many books in the field of sinus and skull base, and he is also an instructor on many of the related courses.

Dr. Shailesh Khode is a Consultant Otolaryngologist and Snoring-Sleep Surgeon,at Tarabichi Stammberger Ear and Sinus Institute, Dubai, NMC Royal Hospital, Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, UAE. With over 20 years of experience in otolaryngology and more than a decade dedicated to sleep apnea surgery, he has developed a focused expertise in the multidisciplinary management of sleep-disordered breathing. He holds international qualifications including FACS, FEBORL-HNS, MRCS and DOHNS (UK), and has undertaken advanced fellowships in sleep surgery in Singapore and International Sleep Breathing Disorders fellowship in Rome, New York and Mexico. An active clinician, researcher and educator, Dr. Khode has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed publications and contributed a chapter on barbed pharyngoplasty to the 3rd edition of Snoring and Sleep Apnea.

Dr. Shaik Irfan Basha is a distinguished Consultant ENT Surgeon and currently serves as the Head of the Department and Chair of Surgery at Burjeel Medical City. He previously served as a Consultant in ENT at Craigavon Hospital, Northern Ireland, where he also became the Training Programme Director for ENT in the Northern Ireland Deanery. In 2011, he moved to Riyadh, taking on the role of Consultant and Head of ENT at National Guard Hospital and Assistant Professor at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences.
Dr. Basha relocated to the UAE in 2016, joining Sheikh Khalifa Medical City as a Consultant ENT Surgeon, eventually becoming Head of Department and Chair of Surgery.

Dr. Tamer Sayed Ebaied is an Otologist and Neurotologist at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC), Abu Dhabi, with extensive expertise in endoscopic ear surgery, otology, and neurotology.
He earned his MD in Medicine from Alexandria University, Egypt, where he also serves as a Lecturer in the Department of ENT. He completed a Fellowship at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE), Italy, specializing in endoscopic ear surgery (EES) and lateral skull base interventions.
Dr. Ebaied is a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (MRCS-ENT) and an active member of the International Working Group on Endoscopic Ear Surgery (IWGEES). He is also a Founding Member of the Pan Arab Endoscopic Ear Surgery Society (PAEES).
With his academic and clinical contributions, Dr. Ebaied continues to advance minimally invasive techniques in otology and neurotology while actively training the next generation of ENT specialists.

Dr. Rami Al-Salman completed his medical degree in 2009 from the University of Jordan. After a one-year internship at the Jordan Hospital, Dr. Al-Salman returned to the University of Jordan to continue his studies. Dr. Al-Salman completed an additional five-year otolaryngology training, earning his specialist credentials. In 2015, Dr. Al-Salman proceeded to complete a 3 months mini fellowship in facial plastics and reconstructive surgery at the FACE ISTANBUL institute in Istanbul, Turkey, organized by the European Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. In 2017, Dr. Al-Salman proceeded to complete a two-year fellowship at the St. Paul’s Sinus Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, specializing in Advanced Rhinology, Endoscopic Sinus and Skull Base Surgery under the directorship of Dr. Amin Javer.
Dr. Rami Al-Salman is currently a Consultant Rhinologist, Endoscopic Sinus and Skull Base Surgeon at the Abdali Clemenceau Hospital in Amman, Jordan.
Dr. Rami Al-Salman has published in different topics such as endoscopic sinus surgery, chronic rhinosinusitis and skull base surgery. He also participated in writing different book chapters in the field of chronic rhinosinusitis and its classifications

Dr. Redwan Kalash is a Specialist in Otolaryngology and Laryngology with an MD and Master’s degree from Damascus University. He is a former teaching staff member at Damascus University and Kalamoon University, with extensive academic and clinical experience in the field of ENT and laryngology.
Dr. Kalash has also served as a Visiting Laryngologist at several hospitals in the UAE and Syria. His experience combines clinical expertise with a strong background in medical education and academic practice.
Dr. Yogesh is a Consultant Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgeon practicing in Abu dhabi at Burjeel Medical City. He completed his Post Graduate clinical training at Tufts University, Boston specialty Rhinology Surgery Followed by Head Neck surgery at Kansas University, Kansas USA. He was a clinical instructor at Kansas University till 2012
He was a visiting researcher at Miami Ear Institute, USA, visiting scholar at University of Pennsylvania 2017 in Advanced Rhinology and Skull base surgery and Visiting Physician in Rhinology at University of North Carolina, USA 2019.
His major areas of interest are Advanced Sinus and Skull base Surgery as well as Head Neck along with surgery of the Thyroid and Parathyroid.
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Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi for Continuing Education In accordance with the Standards for Integrity and Independence issued by Accreditation Council for continuing Medical Education (ACCME), has mitigated all faculty conflicts of interest to ensure CME activities are free of commercial bias.
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