Scott Saffold is a board-certified otolaryngologist, founder, and medical director of Chesapeake Bay ENT, a well-known ear, nose, and throat practice serving Southeastern Virginia. Since 2001, he has guided the growth of the Belle Haven-based clinic from a single-site facility in a rural, underserved area into a multi-site practice respected for its evidence-based and advanced care, all delivered with a strong sense of compassion and professionalism. In May 2026, he will reach a milestone, marking 25 years of service in the state of Virginia.
Dr Scott Saffold has built the practice with a strong focus on both patient care and team development. His leadership has shaped a culture centered on continuous improvement, where innovation, data-driven decision-making, and quality improvement are core values. From administrative staff to advanced practice providers, many team members have grown professionally under his support and mentorship.
His approach to healthcare emphasizes meeting patients where they are. Instead of consolidating care into large, impersonal centers, Saffold has chosen to develop smaller, community-focused locations that reflect the needs and character of each area they serve. This model has enabled stronger relationships with local referring physicians and created a more personal and accessible experience for patients.
Dr Saffold has always upheld the principle that everyone deserves high-quality care, regardless of insurance status. His systems are designed to prioritize people and long-term outcomes over short-term efficiency. He hopes to be remembered for prioritizing patients, fostering leadership in others, and continually striving to enhance the delivery of care.
Saffold is recognized for his early adoption of advanced practice providers, including nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Through clear standards for training and supervision, he expanded access to specialty care while maintaining safety and effectiveness. He has also led efforts to integrate tools such as AI-assisted documentation, in-office CT scans, and procedures like in-office laryngeal biopsies to enhance diagnosis, convenience, and patient outcomes.
Dr Scott Saffold contributes to the broader healthcare community by serving on the board of a regional hospital system and forming partnerships to bring care to rural areas. Local media frequently interview him on sinonasal disease and balloon sinus dilation. He has published academic work on selective neck dissection, reconstructive surgery using dermal allografts, and tumor immunology.
Since 2014, he has been the Medical Director of the Virginia Sinus Center in Virginia Beach. Saffold is certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology and is a member of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
He earned his undergraduate degree in Cell Biology from UC Berkeley in 1990. He completed medical school at Meharry Medical College, where he graduated at the top of his class and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. His postgraduate training included a General Surgery Internship at the University of New York at Buffalo, a research fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and a residency in otolaryngology at Oregon Health Sciences University. His training encompassed a broad range of specialties, which led him to choose general otolaryngology, enabling him to serve his community with a wide range of services.
Dr Saffold supports underrepresented medical students through a scholarship at Meharry Medical College and holds an MBA from the Strome College of Business at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.
His academic achievements have earned him several honors, including awards in pathology, internal medicine, hematology, and anatomy, as well as recognition such as the Wantanabe Scholar and Alpha Omega Alpha, among others, for outstanding performance and dedication.
Outside of medicine, Scott Saffold is a dedicated father of a son and daughter, a youth football coach, and an endurance athlete who has completed multiple marathons and triathlons, including two half-Ironman races. He also enjoys spending time reading.
