Joseph Lopez, MD, MBA

Dr. Joseph Lopez is the Chief of Pediatric Head & Neck Surgery at AdventHealth for Children and the first dual fellowship-trained head and neck surgeon and pediatric craniofacial surgeon in the United States. He is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and was recently elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, underscoring his contributions to the field of pediatric surgery.
Dr. Lopez earned his undergraduate degree from Stanford University and his medical degree from Harvard Medical School, where he also obtained an MBA with a concentration in Healthcare Management. He completed a residency in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital and the University of Maryland/R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center. During his residency, he pursued a post-doctoral research fellowship in Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Biology, where he published seminal papers on nano-scaffolds for bone and nerve regeneration. As a senior resident, Dr. …Lopez received the Frank L. Coulson Award for Clinical Excellence and was appointed Chief Resident, also earning the Department of Plastic Surgery Resident Teaching Award and the Dr. Shi-Tsung Basic Science Research Award for his research contributions.
Following his residency, Dr. Lopez completed a fellowship in Pediatric Craniomaxillofacial Surgery at Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, where he was honored with the Betsy Winter House Staff Award. He then pursued a fellowship in Head & Neck Surgical Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and an Oral & Maxillofacial Travel Fellowship at Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre in Madrid, Spain.
Dr. Lopez is also engaged in global surgery through the AdventHealth Sharing Smiles Foundation, devoting two weeks annually to volunteer his time helping children with cleft lip and palate in underserved areas. His dedication to improving global health outcomes for these children has been a significant part of his career.
In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Lopez is a prolific researcher, having published over 160 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and publications. His research in tissue engineering has advanced bone regeneration techniques, and he has established clinical treatment algorithms for pediatric facial trauma. Recently, he co-authored the book "Computer-assisted Planning in Craniofacial Surgery" with Elsevier, further cementing his reputation as a leader in craniofacial surgery innovation.
Dr. Lopez also heads the Children’s Cranio-Oncology Laboratory, where he spearheads cutting-edge 3D printing and product development for surgical applications. His ongoing work in pediatric oncology, surgical education, and global health has earned him national and international recognition as a leading expert and advocate for children’s health worldwide.