Q and A with Dr. Christine Dinh
The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine alum and otolaryngologist is the new director of education for the American Neurotology Society.
Christine T. Dinh, M.D. ’08, vice chair of academic affairs, professor of otolaryngology—head and neck surgery and neurological surgery and the George Lerner University Chair in Otolaryngology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, recently added a new title to her already-impressive CV: director of education for the American Neurotology Society (ANS), the preeminent national organization in the field of otolaryngology and neurotology.
Dr. Dinh has spent more than a decade contributing to the ANS, experiences that have played a pivotal role in shaping her academic path in neurotology. As a regular scientific presenter, Dr. Dinh received multiple ANS research awards. She began ANS committee service in 2019 on the Research Grant and Scientific committees and recently partnered with the ANS and other organizations to support Cool-OTO, an outreach initiative that introduced more than 250 Miami-Dade County students to otolaryngology through hands-on demonstrations and immersive learning experiences.
Now, as ANS director of education, Dr. Dinh will guide the organization’s educational strategy, develop innovative learning platforms and support the next generation of neurotologists. She discusses her new role in the following interview, which has been edited for length and clarity.
What does being director of education for ANS entail?
As director, I work closely with the ANS president and the society’s administrative leadership to guide the full scope of our educational mission. I chair the ANS Education Committee, leading frequent meetings with the committee and society leadership to develop program themes, identify timely and emerging topics in otology and neurotology and select speakers who can deliver high-quality, contemporary content to our membership.
A core responsibility of the role is collaborating with the Scientific Program Committee to embed the abstract-driven scientific sessions into the broader program in a cohesive and intentional way.
In addition, I review evaluations and attendee surveys, analyze patterns in engagement and satisfaction and implement changes to enhance educational value, attendance and overall meeting experience. I also oversee CME documentation, including submission of the ACS Session Form, to ensure compliance with accrediting standards. Finally, I help guide broader educational initiatives that advance the society’s mission, ranging from incorporating innovative formats and technologies to ensuring appropriate representation across otology, neurotology, audiology, neurosurgery and other related skull-base specialties.
One initiative I am especially proud of is the Master Techniques video session we introduced at the Fall 2025 ANS meeting, held on the Friday before the AAO-HNSF annual meeting in Indianapolis. We invited four leading neurotologists to present complex cases that illustrated real-world decision-making in facial nerve surgery. Each surgeon walked the audience through their operative strategy, explaining the microanatomy, the inflection points in judgment and the pearls and pitfalls that shape safe and effective outcomes.
One of the most transformative developments in our field is the use of high-quality, step-by-step surgical video. These videos allow trainees to observe complex operations from the surgeon’s perspective, offering clarity on anatomy, dissection planes and intraoperative decision-making that simply cannot be conveyed through still images or didactic slides.
Dr. Christine Dinh
This new session used high-definition operative video and expert narration to highlight a level of nuance that cannot be captured in traditional didactic formats. It reaffirmed the powerful role that high-quality surgical video plays in elevating education, because in complex neurotology, a clear operative video truly can teach what no still image or slide ever could.
How is technology changing the way neurotology is taught and learned?
As might be clear from my description of our recent video session, one of the most transformative developments in our field is the use of high-quality, step-by-step surgical video. These videos allow trainees to observe complex operations from the surgeon’s perspective, offering clarity on anatomy, dissection planes and intraoperative decision-making that simply cannot be conveyed through still images or didactic slides. For rare diseases or infrequently encountered surgical scenarios, this kind of detailed operative footage has the potential to democratize access to expertise, giving every trainee, regardless of institution, the ability to learn from master surgeons.
As with most other scientific fields, AI is influencing the preparation of manuscripts, data analysis, scientific presentation design and the way we acquire and synthesize new knowledge. At the most recent ANS meeting, Dr. Larry Lustig talked about the evolving role of AI in scientific publishing, also emphasizing the importance of transparently disclosing the use of AI in scientific research, publications and educational content.
As we continue integrating technology into ANS educational programming, I anticipate even more interactive and immersive approaches. Real-time video narration, annotation overlays, audience polling and digital platforms that allow learners to revisit specific segments will become increasingly common. Together, these innovations are creating a more accessible, visual and dynamic learning environment, one that brings the operating room directly to our learners and helps accelerate the development of surgical judgment and skill.
How do you see the ANS educational mission evolving over the next few years?
While training future neurotologists will always remain at the core of what we do, the next several years will require us to think more broadly about who we educate and how we deliver that education.
One major priority is strengthening education for advanced practice providers, including physician assistants, nurse practitioners and other allied health professionals who increasingly play essential roles in otology and neurotology practices. I also believe our mission must include creating opportunities to learn from the past, examining how our field has evolved so we can better chart where we need to go. Initiatives that highlight historical milestones, pivotal scientific contributions and the evolution of training paradigms are already underway to help guide this future vision.
ANS will also continue expanding its digital footprint through virtual webinar series and cross-specialty educational forums that bring together experts from neurotology, neurosurgery, radiology, oncology, audiology and other disciplines to discuss complex, multidisciplinary conditions such as temporal bone cancer. Ultimately, I see the ANS educational mission evolving into a truly inclusive, multidisciplinary and technology-enabled ecosystem that supports not only neurotologists, but everyone involved in the care of patients with otologic and skull-base disorders.
Tags: American Neurotology Society, Department of Neurological Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology, Dr. Christine Dinh, neurological surgery, otolaryngology, Otology & Neurotology, USNWR ENT