About Geoffrey A. Smith, MD

For Dr. Geoffrey A. Smith, being a physician is more than his practice of medicine. It includes teaching courses to other physicians and medical students, publishing articles, doing charitable work and lecturing locally and worldwide. Dr. Smith has performed charitable work in both the USA and out of the country. Over the years he has volunteered at Chicano clinics, Indian Health Service Organizations and indigent care facilities. He has provided services in Mexico and Argentina and is currently teaching and providing medical services with AHAC (Americans Helping Asian Children) in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar/Burma. Dr. Smith co-developed the plastic surgical computer imaging system that is used by plastic surgeons, dermatologists, and maxillo-facial surgeons for counseling plastic surgery patients. This early system was used to give prospective patients a picture of what surgical results they might expect and helped lower unrealistic expectations. This image capture and manipulation digital system was used by surgeons to project the current features of a patient and then demonstrated the anticipated results to the patient on a screen and with a hard copy photograph. This simulated the potential result of the surgery. Today, image manipulation is an inexpensive application but in the early 1980’s it was a counseling breakthrough for plastic surgeons. Dr. Smith has been based in the San Diego, California area for many years and in his practice he would frequently see surfers with knots or bony growths in the ear canal. As they grow, these growths (exostosis) can block the ear canal. The problem with that is by blocking the ear canal, these growths or knots impede drainage and the result is infection and blocked hearing. These growths are formed by frequent exposure to cold water and on occasion cold air. Dr. Smith developed an operation which removed these growths easily, safely and quickly. He used dental tools directly in the ear canal without having to cut behind the ear or drill the bony ear canal. This innovation resulted in surfers and lifeguards being able to have both ears fixed in one operation. The rapid healing of the ear canal allowed them to be able to get back in the water within 2 weeks instead of waiting 3 months as with the older procedure.