Our Doctors & Clinical Staff

Herbert Silverstein, MD, FACS, President and Founder of the Silverstein Institute and the Ear Research Foundation, has consistently been recognized (since 1979) as one the “Best Physicians in the USA.” He has been a leader in Otology/Neurotology (science of the ear and skullbase) for more than 40 years, developing surgical and diagnostic procedures, inventing instruments (such as the facial nerve monitor/stimulator), teaching medical students, residents and fellows, and helping people improve their quality of life. Born in Philadelphia, Dr. Silverstein received his BS degree from Dickinson College (cum laude), and both MS (in physiology) and MD degrees from Temple University Medical School. Before coming to Sarasota in 1973, he served on the teaching staff of Harvard University Medical School, Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, as director of the Walker Biochemistry Research Laboratory, and as associate professor and director of the Otological Research Laboratory at University of Pennsylvania Medical School.

Dr. Silverstein is also a celebrated jazz musician, having produced 13 CD’s, written 61 songs and 28 originals published in book entitled "Jazz Harmony and Improvisation" co-authored with Richard Drexler  Click here to learn more!

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Seth I. Rosenberg, MD, FACS, specialist in ear disease and sinus disorders adds a valuable complement to services provided at the Florida Ear & Sinus Center. His special interests include surgical hearing restoration, balance disorders and sinus surgery.

A native of Poughkeepsie, New York, he completed a BS in chemistry, cum laude, at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute prior to obtaining his MD at State University of New York Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse. His surgical and otolaryngology residencies were also served at SUNY.

Following the completion of his internship and residency, Dr. Rosenberg spent one year of specialized study in otology and neurotology at the Ear Research Foundation. Upon graduating the Fellowship, he was asked to join the staff of the University of Pennsylvania, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, as an Assistant Professor. During this time, he quickly developed new surgical techniques and a national level practice in ear and skull base surgery. At the same time the University of Pennsylvania was an original center for endoscopic sinus surgery in the United States, so Dr. Rosenberg also cultivated a special interest in the treatment of paranasal sinus disease.  He brought this technique to Sarasota in 1991. He then went on to develop ways to use the same endoscopes for minimally invasive ear surgery. In 1994, while seeing a need in this community, Dr. Rosenberg introduced various techniques for the treatment of snoring and sleep apnea. One method, the CO2 LASER, is also used for in-office minimally invasive ear surgery.

Since 1991, Dr. Rosenberg has collaborated with Dr. Silverstein in many productive research endeavors. He serves as Vice President and Education Director for the Ear Research Foundation, and has co-authored over 70 scientific publications. He is still a clinical assistant professor at University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. He is also a clinical assistant professor at USF Medical School, Division of Otolaryngology.

Dr. Rosenberg is Board Certified in Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose, and Throat) and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He holds membership in many medical organizations, including the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. In 2000, he became a member of the prestigious Triological Society, receiving the Mosher Award for his thesis “The Natural History of Acoustic Neuromas”. The following year, he became one of the youngest members of the exclusive American Otological Society. Dr Rosenberg is on the staff of Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Venice Regional Medical Center, Doctors Same Day Surgery Center, as well as The Cape Surgery Center.

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Jack J. Wazen, MD, FACS - A partner in the practice, Dr. Wazen was also the Silverstein Institute’s first research fellow. He left Sarasota in 1983 to build a successful Ear, Nose & Throat specialty practice in New York and spent 23 years as a researcher, professor and practitioner with Columbia University and the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center.

Recognized repeatedly as one of New York’s and America’s “Best Doctors,” Dr. Wazen is one of the nation’s leading authorities on hearing and balance disorders, pioneering new research that expanded treatments for people with single-sided deafness and complex cases of hearing loss. He also is author of the seminal book, Dizzy, providing new treatment options and hope for people affected by balance and hearing disorders.

In addition to providing medical care in the office, Dr. Wazen is an experienced otological/neurotological surgeon trained to restore hearing through microsurgical procedures, such as stapedectomy to correct ear bone degeneration (otosclerosis) and other minimally invasive techniques to cure birth defects, infection or disease (such as Meniere’s). He also specializes in surgical removal of tumors (acoustic neuromas and skull based lesions), as well as insertion of implantable hearing devices and cochlear implants (electrodes placed in the inner ear to restore severly impaired hearing).

Committed to finding new and better cures for hearing and balance disorders, Dr. Wazen serves as the Director of Research for the Institute’s non-profit Ear Research Foundation. Just as past studies uncovered new options to restore hearing, Dr. Wazen believes new and better treatments are imminent for people suffering from debilitating inner ear diseases like tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and dizziness and balance disorders.

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Moufid John H. Abdo, MD - Dr. Abdo is a general ENT surgeon who treats all types of ear, nose and throat disorders. Dr. Abdo graduated from the American University of Beirut and completed his residency in Otolaryngology at the Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. Dr. Abdo comes to us following 14 years of practice with the UHS Medical Group in Binghamton, New York. While in upstate New York, he served as the Chief of ENT Section for the Department of Surgery at UHS Hospitals and Clinics in Johnson City and as Clinical Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology at the Binghamton Campus, Upstate Medical University, College of Medicine SUNY.

He has moved to Florida to escape the snow and join us in the sunshine state. He is married and also has two grown daughters. 

Dr. Abdo specializes in the following treatment areas: Sinus Surgery including Balloon Sinuplasty, Difficult Sinus Polyp Cases/Repair of CSF Leaks, Nasal Obstruction, Obstructive Sleep Apnea/Snoring, Tubes, Tonsils, and Adenoids, Head and Neck Masses/Tumors, Office Surgical Procedures, and a wide variety of various ear, nose and throat disorders. He will be working primarily out of our Lakewood Ranch office.  

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Neil Nayak, MD, a new associate to the Silverstein Institute, specializes in the treatment of ear and sinus disorders. He recently completed his ear specialization fellowship at the Ear Research Foundation. His special interests include hearing restoration and reconstruction, treatment of dizziness and balance disorders, and management of sinus disease and allergies.

Originally from Wilmington, Delaware, Dr. Nayak completed both his undergraduate degree in Mathematics  (cum laude) and medical degree (with distinction) at the George Washington University in Washington, DC, as part of an accelerated 7-year program. In between studying for exams and clinical rotations, he helped run a free clinic to help the underserved population in DC. He then went on to complete a five-year residency at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital. Being one of the busiest community hospitals in the country, UM/Jackson Memorial Hospital provided Dr. Nayak robust clinical and surgical training in the field of otolaryngology (ENT). He was involved in innovative research regarding point-of-care testing for concussions and mild traumatic brain injury. In addition, the ENT department awarded him the Resident Teaching Award in 2019 for his commitment to resident education.

Dr. Nayak later decided to pursue the neurotology fellowship at the Ear Research Foundation at the Silverstein Institute. His training here has afforded him the ability to treat a wide range of hearing and balance disorders, from hearing loss and tinnitus to positional vertigo. After the completion of his fellowship, he decided to stay in sunny Sarasota and begin his career alongside his wife, a local gastroenterologist. Equipped with the state-of-the-art technology the Silverstein Institute has to offer, Dr. Nayak is motivated to use his expertise to help the community of Sarasota.

Cassandra M. Santiso PA-C joined Florida Ear & Sinus Center in October of 2018. She works closely with all of the physicians in the practice but most specifically with Dr. Wazen.

Prior to joining the Silverstein Institute, Cassandra worked in Interventional Cardiology. She obtained her Bachelor of Science at the University of Miami where she majored in Biology and Chemistry. Next she studied at Nova Southeastern University where she obtained her Master of Medical Science Physician Assistant degree.

Cassandra is originally from California, but has lived in Sarasota since 1995. She is the daughter of Dr. Carlos F. Caballero, the first concierge physician in town. Her brother also works as a Physician Assistant in Urology.  

She sees a variety of new and established patients including those with ear pain, hearing loss, ear wax impaction, dizziness and vertigo. She also sees Dr. Wazen’s pre-operative and postoperative patients.

When not working as a Physician Assistant, Cassandra can be found on the stage. She is an active member of several of Sarasota’s community theaters.

Cassandra is a member of both the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants.

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Jack H. Thompson, Jr., PhD, PA-C, has been practicing as a Physician Assistant at Florida Ear & Sinus Center since 1998. He works with all of the Physicians in the practice, and Dr. Rosenberg in particular.

Jack is originally from San Antonio, Texas. The son of an Army officer, he lived everywhere from South Carolina to Alaska before returning to San Antonio. He graduated from Trinity University with a BA in biology, then taught High School science before earning a PhD in Oceanography at Texas A&M University. Reef Building Corals were his particular area of interest. He also worked for Motorola as a Service Representative and was the Senior Radio Technician at an ARCO chemical plant before moving to Honduras with his family. During their eight years in Honduras, he taught school, and then started an emergency medical service on the Island of Honduras. As Director of the Cornerstone EMS, he was also the pilot for the missionaries small plane, and installed and operated the first functional hyperbaric chamber in Honduras. He continues to make trips to Honduras to support the clinic that grew out of that effort.

Florida Ear & Sinus Center makes good use of Jack’s experience. Besides maintaining a busy clinical schedule (including seeing Spanish speaking patients), and assisting Dr. Rosenberg in surgery, he performs statistical analysis of the research, writes software for the clinic’s computerized charting system, oversees the practice’s computer system, and”fixes things”.

Jack is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, the American Academy of Otolaryngology, and the Society of Physician Assistants in Otolaryngology. He is also active in the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants where he lectures at both local and statewide meetings.