Ariel Frost, M.D.

  • Otolaryngology
  • Head and Neck Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery
  • Facial Paralysis and Facial Reanimation

Biography

Ariel Frost, M.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She specializes in head and neck microvascular reconstructive surgery, facial plastic surgery, and facial nerve disorders.

Dr. Frost graduated cum laude from Princeton University and earned her medical degree at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. She completed a residency in otolaryngology and head and neck surgery at the University of Pennsylvania, where she was inducted into the national medical honor society Alpha Omega Alpha and awarded the Carniol Prize for Excellence in Facial Plastic Surgery. She gained advanced training through a fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at the Cleveland Clinic.

Certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, she joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2023.

An active researcher, Dr. Frost developed a modified head-mounted GoPro video-based technology for quality improvement and education. She serves as Principal Investigator on several research projects, including the creation of a head and neck surgery video atlas, an evaluation of the effect of video-based coaching on operative performance, and an international survey examining the current climate in microsurgical facial nerve reanimation with masseteric-to-facial nerve transfer. She also serves as Co-Investigator on several other active projects. She has delivered invited lectures and published numerous academic articles related to her areas of expertise.

She is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, and the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Personal Note

When she is not at work, Dr. Frost enjoys outdoor activities, including hiking, biking, and running; lifting heavy things and putting them back down at her local CrossFit gym; and raising chickens. She competed for more than a decade in collegiate and national team rowing, is an eight-time National Champion and World Champion, and is still a mentor to coxswains for her previous coaches at Princeton and Stanford.

Education & Training
  • Medical School - Wake Forest University School of Medicine (2012-2017)
  • Internship - University of Pennsylvania (2017-2018), Otolaryngology
  • Residency - University of Pennsylvania (2017-2022), Head & Neck Surgery
  • Fellowship - Cleveland Clinic (2022-2023), Facial Plastic Surgery
Professional Associations & Affiliations
  • American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
  • American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
  • American College of Surgeons
Honors & Awards
  • Carniol Prize in Facial Plastic Surgery 2022, University of Pennsylvania
  • Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society 2021, University of Pennsylvania
  • Pilot Grant 2020-2021, University of Pennsylvania Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
  • Robert Stowell Pathology Medical Student Fellowship 2014-2015, Stanford University
  • NIH T35 National Research Training Grant, Orthopedic Surgery 2013
  • Graduated Cum Laude 2010, Princeton University
Research
  • Characterizing trends in masseteric-to-facial nerve transfer for facial reanimation
  • Creation of surgeon point-of-view, open-access, comprehensive otolaryngology – head and neck surgery video atlas for surgical education
  • Video-based coaching in operative otolaryngology – head and neck surgery

Clinical Focus

  • Head and Neck Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery
  • Facial Paralysis and Facial Reanimation
  • Facial Trauma Reconstruction
  • Rhinoplasty, Septoplasty, Nasal Valve Surgery
  • Facial Plastic Surgery

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