UT Southwestern Medical Center is widely recognized as a national leader in the use of cochlear implants to treat adults and children with severe to profound hearing loss related to cochlear nerve problems. Our expert and compassionate specialists are respected authorities in the application of cochlear implant technology to restore sound awareness to patients with sensorineural hearing loss.

Most notably, specialists at UT Southwestern performed the first cochlear implant in the Dallas area, and our program performs more of these procedures and receives more National Institutes of Health funding than any other health care facility in the area. The Dallas Cochlear Implant Program, a collaborative effort of UT Southwestern, Children's Medical Center Dallas and the University of Texas at Dallas, brings together our combined knowledge, experience and resources to advance the science of cochlear implants.

At UT Southwestern, adults and children who are unable to benefit from hearing aids undergo a comprehensive evaluation by a team of specialists, led by an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat physician) who specializes in cochlear implantation. The team incorporates physicians, audiologists, speech pathologists, psychologists, educators and researchers who work together to determine if the patient would benefit from a hearing implant.

UT Southwestern’s Cochlear Implant Program strives to integrate family members into the therapeutic and rehabilitation process.

Our specialists help patients and families fully understand and evaluate treatment options, including whether the use of bilateral cochlear implants may improve results. Bilateral implants may increase the ability of individuals to understand speech, separate speech from background noise and better locate the source of sounds.

By taking advantage of the latest advances in hearing technology, our Cochlear Implant Program is able to make an important difference in patients’ lives and improve their outlook on the future. At UT Southwestern, our specialists carefully monitor each patient’s progress and are committed to providing patients with the support they need to achieve outstanding results.