🎙️ Swallow Talk Series | SLP–ENT Collaboration: Connecting Voice, Airway & Swallowing

What happens when speech-language pathology and otolaryngology work together to improve patient care?

In this episode of the Swallow Talk Series, I’m delighted to welcome Dr. Jennifer Rodney, MD, a fellowship-trained laryngologist and otolaryngologist at Baylor Scott & White Health’s The Voice Center in Dallas, Texas.

Dr. Rodney specializes in the medical and surgical management of voice, airway, and swallowing disorders, including vocal fold paralysis, laryngeal lesions, and neurolaryngological conditions. Her journey into laryngology was shaped in part by her experience singing professionally, bringing a unique perspective to the care of the larynx and its many functions.

She completed medical school at the University of Florida College of Medicine, residency at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, and fellowship training at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

✨ What we’ll explore in this conversation:

🔹 When should an SLP refer a patient to ENT?

🔹 What information from an SLP’s clinical evaluation, FEES, or VFSS is most valuable to an otolaryngologist?

🔹 When should swallowing symptoms prompt us to look beyond swallow mechanics and consider laryngeal, structural, or neurologic concerns?

🔹 How do FEES and an ENT laryngologic evaluation complement one another, and when should findings prompt further evaluation?

🔹 What does an effective SLP–ENT partnership look like in clinical practice?

The goal is to move beyond professional silos and explore how collaboration can strengthen clinical reasoning, support timely referrals, and improve patient-centered care.

Because swallowing, voice, and airway function are interconnected, understanding what each profession brings to the table can make a meaningful difference in how we evaluate and manage our patients.

🎙️About the Swallow Talk Series

Conversations with leading dysphagia experts, bringing research and clinical expertise closer to the bedside.

🔬 Research → Experts → Bedside

If you’re an SLP, ENT, or another clinician involved in swallowing and airway care, join the conversation!

💬 Discussion question: What makes collaboration between SLPs and ENTs most effective in your clinical setting?

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