The Tampa General Hospital and USF Health Center for Advanced Salivary Gland Surgery offers highly specialized care for patients with conditions affecting the salivary glands. Part of TGH's Ear, Nose & Throat Institute and Florida's only dedicated center of its kind, we bring together experts, advanced technology and innovative techniques to provide personalized treatment.
Tampa General Hospital is nationally recognized, earning placement on Newsweek's World's Best Hospitals 2026 list. This recognition marks eight consecutive years that we've been included in these global rankings and reflects our focus on delivering a seamless experience centered around your needs. Whether you are dealing with a common condition or a complex diagnosis, we are here to help you find answers, restore function and improve your quality of life.
About Salivary Gland Disorders
The salivary glands are located in and around the mouth and throat, with three major pairs: the parotid glands (in front of the ears), submandibular glands (beneath the jaw) and sublingual glands (under the tongue). There are many smaller glands throughout the mouth as well. These glands play an important role in producing saliva, which supports digestion, oral health and overall comfort.
As such, salivary gland disorders can affect how you eat, speak and feel day to day. These conditions range from common issues like dry mouth and salivary stones to more complex concerns such as chronic inflammation, infections and salivary gland tumors, including cancer.
When the salivary glands are not functioning properly, patients may experience pain, swelling, difficulty swallowing or persistent dryness. Some conditions may be temporary, while others require specialized, long-term care.
Because symptoms can overlap and vary in severity, an accurate diagnosis is essential. Early evaluation and expert care can help prevent complications and ensure the most effective treatment plan.
Why Choose the Tampa General Hospital and USF Health Center for Advanced Salivary Gland Surgery?
Our center offers patients a unique option for world-class treatment of salivary gland disorders. Patients choose us for our:
Expertise as Florida's Only Dedicated Salivary Gland Center
We are Florida's only dedicated center focused exclusively on comprehensive salivary gland care. Patients benefit from a highly specialized, multispecialty team with deep expertise in both routine and complex conditions.
Advanced Salivary Gland Diagnostics and Treatments
Our approach combines advanced imaging, minimally invasive techniques and leading-edge surgical care to deliver the best possible outcomes. Whenever possible, we use gland-preserving surgical approaches to reduce pain, shorten recovery time and maintain natural function.
For example, we are one of the few centers in Florida offering advanced procedures such as salivary endoscopy (sialoendoscopy), allowing us to treat conditions like salivary stones without external incisions. Even in complex cases and when large stones are present, our team is often able to remove them while preserving the gland. In addition, our center boasts a 90-95% success rate for patients undergoing stone removal with gland preservation.
Multispecialty Care
For patients facing the salivary gland form of cancer, we work closely with the specialists in TGH's Head & Neck Surgery Center of Excellence and Head and Neck Cancer Center to provide coordinated, comprehensive care, including advanced reconstruction and facial nerve preservation techniques.
Center Leadership
Our leadership team brings together nationally recognized specialists with deep expertise in salivary gland disorders. Working collaboratively, they provide personalized care designed to achieve the best possible outcomes for every patient.
Conditions We Treat
We diagnose and treat a wide range of salivary gland conditions, from common and treatable issues to complex and rare disorders.
The conditions we treat can affect the parotid, submandibular and sublingual glands, and include:
- Salivary gland stones (sialolithiasis)
- Salivary gland infections (sialadenitis)
- Chronic drooling or hypersalivation (sialorrhea)
- Dry mouth (xerostomia)
- Sjögren's syndrome and other autoimmune-related salivary disorders
- Salivary duct strictures and obstructions
- Benign salivary gland tumors
- Salivary gland cancer
- Chronic salivary gland inflammation
- Radiation-induced salivary gland damage and inflammation
- Chronic salivary pain and functional disorders
Testing & Diagnostics
Accurate diagnosis is the first step toward effective treatment. Our team uses advanced, minimally invasive diagnostic tools to evaluate salivary gland conditions quickly and precisely, allowing us to develop a personalized care plan.
Testing and diagnostics options include:
- High-resolution imaging to assess gland structure and identify abnormalities
- Surgeon-directed ultrasonography for biopsies and real-time evaluation at the point of care
- Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsies to evaluate masses and guide treatment decisions
- Comprehensive clinical evaluations to assess symptoms, function and overall gland health
Treatment Options
We offer a full range of advanced treatment options tailored to each patient's condition, symptoms and goals. Whenever possible, our team prioritizes minimally invasive, gland-preserving techniques to reduce recovery time and maintain normal function.
Treatments we offer include:
- Salivary endoscopy (sialoendoscopy) to treat ductal obstructions such as stones and strictures without external incisions
- Gland-sparing procedures using transoral and endoscopic techniques to preserve natural anatomy
- Minimally invasive parotid surgery with concealed incisions and reduced recovery time
- Botulinum toxin (Botox®) injections to manage conditions like chronic drooling
- Advanced surgical treatment for benign and malignant salivary gland tumors
- Microvascular reconstruction and facial reanimation for complex cancer cases
We understand that no two patients are alike, so collaboration with our multispecialty team is critical for developing personalized treatment plans with the best outcomes.
Support Services
Salivary gland conditions can affect more than just physical health. That's why we offer comprehensive support services to guide patients through every stage of care, from diagnosis to recovery.
Our team provides care coordination, education and ongoing support to help patients feel informed and confident in their treatment plan. For patients undergoing surgery or cancer treatment, we also offer access to rehabilitation services, nutritional guidance and reconstructive surgical support to promote healing and restore function.
Research & Clinical Trials
As part of Florida's premier academic health system, the Tampa General Hospital and USF Health Center for Advanced Salivary Gland Surgery is committed to advancing the field through ongoing research and innovation. Our specialists are actively involved in studying new techniques, technologies and treatment approaches to improve outcomes for patients with salivary gland conditions.
Patients may have access to clinical trials and emerging therapies not widely available elsewhere, offering additional options for complex or challenging cases. By combining research with clinical expertise, our center in TGH's Ear, Nose & Throat Institute continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in salivary gland care.