Dr. Marc Kerner, MD, FACS

Expert Publications

• Squamous papillomas of the nasopharynx treated by a uvulopalatopharyngoplasty approach.
• Papillary squamous neoplasms of the head and neck.
• Primary nasopharyngeal tuberculosis: a case report and review of this rare entity.
• Diagnosis and management of latex allergy in surgical patients.
• Characterization of DNA extracted from archival celloidin-embedded human temporal bone sections.
• Palatal mucoperiosteal free graft: another reconstruction option for oral defects.
• Tonsillar carcinoma: analysis of treatment results.

Media Releases

Get to know Otolaryngologist Dr. Marc Kerner, who serves patients in California.

Dr. Kerner is an accomplished otolaryngologist who serves as the Medical Director of Calwest Head & Neck Surgical Institute in California. It is recognized as the premiere Center of Excellence for the medical and surgical treatment of head and neck disorders in Southern California.

Calwest Head & Neck Surgical Institute specializes in nasal and sinus diseases, the treatment of sleep apnea, head and neck surgery including thyroid and parathyroid surgery using minimally invasive techniques, as well as routine ear, nose and throat diseases. The team of physicians and surgeons working there are experts in image-guided sinus surgery, nasal reconstruction, and cosmetic rhinoplasty surgery. They also treat pediatric and adult patients for general ENT problems and balance and hearing disorders. 

Among his various accomplishments, Dr. Kerner was the first to use computer-aided, image-guided technology for sinus surgery in southern California. He was also the first to introduce powered instrumentation in sinus surgery to UCLA and the community, the first to introduce balloon sinus technology, as well as the first to introduce platelet gel technology in maxillofacial and facial plastic surgery.

In his current capacity, he is the Director of the Head and Neck Tumor Board at Dignity Health Northridge Hospital Medical Center and has been a past Chief of Surgery at Northridge Hospital. Among his academic appointments, he serves as a Clinical Professor of Surgery at Geffen-UCLA School of Medicine, and as an Adjunct Professor of Communication Sciences at California State University, Northridge. He has attended to teaching medical students and residents at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center as well as providing yearly instructional courses for advanced sinus and facial plastic surgical techniques.

Back in 1989, Dr. Kerner earned his medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, graduating magna cum laude. While there, he received the Outstanding Student Research Award, Dean’s List honors, and was elected to The Skull and Dagger Society for outstanding contributions to the university. He was the co-founder of the USC Journal of Medicine, which was a student-run, peer-reviewed journal that published articles from both faculty and students, and had a distribution of over 25,000 each quarter.

Following his education, Dr. Kerner completed his surgical training at UCLA under the guidance of Paul Ward, MD, a pioneer in head and neck surgery. He completed a fellowship in surgical research under a joint appointment with the Department of Molecular Pathology, as well as advanced microsurgical techniques with the Department of Plastic Surgery. Following the completion of his formal training, he attended mini-fellowships in facial plastic surgery, sinus surgery, and minimally invasive thyroid surgery.

A Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), the doctor is board-certified in otolaryngology by the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, which serves the public by ensuring that diplomates meet the standards of training, knowledge, and professionalism through initial and continuing certification. In addition, he is board-certified through the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, whose mission is to improve the quality of facial plastic surgery available to the public by measuring the qualifications of candidate surgeons against certain rigorous standards. He is one of only approximately 850 surgeons who have achieved this double board-certification designation.

Recognized for his clinical excellence, Dr. Kerner has written numerous articles, developed a number of cutting-edge surgical techniques and instruments, and lectured nationally and internationally. He has been recognized as the best ENT by the Los Angeles Daily News, the California State Assembly, the California State Senate, as well as has received numerous awards from national societies. Furthermore, he has been featured in the media and is sought after for his opinions by both the print media and TV.

Otolaryngology is the oldest medical specialty in the United States. Otolaryngologists, also known as ear, nose, and throat doctors, specialize in disorders of the head and neck, ranging from hearing loss to cancer. 

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