BEN CILENTO, MD
SINUS & SLEEP SURGEON | ENT | FACIAL PLASTIC SURGEON
Benjamin W Cilento, MD, is a Fellowship-trained and board certified Facial Plastic Surgeon and a member of the elite American Academy Of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He is also Board Certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology, one of the oldest medical specialties in the United States. Otolaryngologists are physicians uniquely trained in the surgical and medical treatment of patients with disorders and diseases of the head and neck.
Dr. Cilento’s education began at Trinity College in Hartford Connecticut, where he majored in Biology. He graduated at the top of his class and was inducted into the prestigious national honor society, Phi Beta Kappa.
Unlike his classmates, he delayed attending medical school immediately after college. Instead, he joined the US Marine Corps where he served as a Signals Intelligence and Reconnaissance Officer during the first Gulf War. After five years as a Marine, he decided to go back and finish his medical education and transferred to the US Naval Medical program.
EARLY GROWING INTEREST IN HEAD & NECK SURGERY AND FACIAL AESTHETICS
He matriculated into the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, where he graduated at the top of his class with distinction in research and was selected for the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society.
During medical school, he used his abilities as an artist to work on the head and neck section of the internationally recognized anatomy textbook, “Adam Atlas” in collaboration with the author, Dr. Todd Olsen, and Williams and Wilkins publishers. This lead to an affinity for head and neck surgery, especially with regards to facial aesthetics, with its intricate surgery and positive impact on patients.
FURTHERING EDUCATION IN HEAD & NECK SURGERY AND FACIAL AESTHETICS
Throughout his medical career, Dr. Ben Cilento has trained and worked with leaders in head and neck and facial plastic surgery. He completed a residency in Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Washington in Seattle. It was there that he trained under world-renowned leaders in the field such as Craig Murakami, Neal Futran and Sam Most.
While in Seattle, he received many awards for clinical research (see below), and he published numerous articles on facial plastic surgery (see below).
Following residency, Dr. Cilento began serving his time with the Navy and was appointed as the Head of the Department of Otolaryngology at a US Naval Hospital in Asia. After two years in this post, he was among an elite group selected for a fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.
CASTLE CONNOLLY TOP DOCTOR 2023 | DR. CILENTO
On the 30th anniversary of Castle Connolly, Dr. Cilento was awarded as a Top Doctor this year.
All Castle Connolly Top Doctors are nominated by their peers. Then the Castle Connolly research team evaluates important criteria to determine who makes the list. These criteria include professional qualifications, education, hospital and faculty appointments, research leadership, and professional reputation.
This award puts Dr. Cilento in the top 7% of doctors in the United States.
FELLOWSHIP UNDER DR. CALVIN M. JOHNSON, JR
At the Tulane University in New Orleans, he again trained with pioneers in rhinoplasty and facial aesthetics. Here he completed a fellowship under Dr. Calvin M Johnson, Jr., a world-famous surgeon who is credited by many as changing the way modern-day surgeons think of rhinoplasty and facial rejuvenation.
After completing training, Dr. Cilento then accepted an assistant professorship at the prestigious Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USUHS) and was appointed Chief of the Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Navy’s largest medical facility — Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, VA.
AWARDS FROM THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FACIAL PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY
In addition, Dr. Cilento was an assistant professor at the Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) in Norfolk, Virginia for the Department of Otolaryngology where he was responsible for the education of residents and medical students. During this time he served as the Director of Research and won multiple awards for research, most notably — American Heart Association Research Grant for Immunologic Research on B-Cell hypermutation, the Potsic Ferguson Award for the best presentation of a resident at the Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings (COSM) and the John Orlando Roe Award from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) for his work on the aging face. His current research and area of expertise centers around the functional and aesthetic aspects of the nose, specifically fixing problems of nasal breathing and congestion.
AWARDS AND HONORS
- 2022 Castle Connolly Top Doctor
- 2022 Inspire Physician of Excellence
- 2021 Castle Connolly Top Doctor
- 2021 Houston's Top Doctors - H Texas
- 2020 Castle Connolly Top Doctor
- 2019 Castle Connolly Top Doctor
- 2018 TOP Rhinoplasty Surgeons
- Five Year Patient' Choice Award Texas' Favorite Physicians | 2015-2019 | Vitals
- 2016 Top Doctor - Houstonia - The Top Physicians, Selected By Their Peers
- Five Year Patient' Choice Award Texas' Favorite Physicians | 2014-2018 | Vitals
- 2012 Top Doctor - Houstonia - The Top Physicians, Selected By Their Peers
- American Heart Association Research Grant for Immunologic Research on B-Cell Hypermutation
- Potsic Ferguson Award for the Best Presentation of a Resident at the Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings
- John Orlando Roe Award from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
LECTURER AND ACCOMPLISHED ARTIST
Dr. Cilento has lectured in Canada, South America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Spain. The most important aspect of his practice is his dedication to combining state of the art medical and surgical care with a compassionate Holistic approach.
Dr. Cilento is also an accomplished artist, working in pen and ink, pastel and watercolor. He emphasizes an artistic and balanced approach to surgery, patient interaction and life in general.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
You can learn more about Dr. Ben Cilento from each of his practices. Just click the links below.
Publications by Dr. Cilento
- Cilento, B.W. and Larson, D.A. Systematic functional assessment of nasal dyspnea: surgical outcomes and predictive ability. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2011 Nov;145(5):845-50. Epub 2011 Aug 8.
- Cilento, B.W. and Russell, K.L Unmanned and manned evaluation of the Weatherford Zero-thrust Hydroblaster and the MK 21 Mod 1 on diver hearing. Technical report # 14-94; NAVSEA TA94-020. (Med Student)
- Cilento, B.W., Norton, S., Gates, G.A. The effects of aging on distortion products of otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) by gender and frequency. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2003 Oct;129(4):382-9. (Resident)
- Cilento, B.W., Futran, N. Retroesophageal thyrothymic thyroid rests. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2005 May;114(5):416-8.
- Cilento, B.W., Izzard, M., Futran, N. The Visor flap approach to oral cavity cancers. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2007 Sep;137(3):428-32.
- Cilento, B.W., Johnson, C.M. Jr. The Case for Open Forehead Procedures: A review of 1004 cases. Arch Facial Plast Surg. 2009 Jan-Feb;11(1):13-7.
- Cilento BW, Larson DA. Predictive value of a methodical approach to nasal airway evaluation. Accepted by AAO-HNS June 2011.
Dr. Cilento is also an avid collector of Converse shoes. You can see more of his office converse by searching the hashtag #drconverse on instagram.