Dr. John Bitner, MD, PHD

Dr. Bitner is a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon in the Salt Lake City, Utah area.  He performs both cosmetic surgery and reconstructive procedures.  Dr. Bitner was born and raised in the Layton, Utah area.  He attended the University of Utah in Salt Lake City where he received his bachelor’s degree.  He was then accepted into the MD/PhD combined degree program at the Roland Franklin University/The Chicago Medical Schoolin Chicago, Illinois and received a full-ride scholarship for his training. 

He achieved great success during medical school, graduating with a 4.0 GPA, ranked number one in his class and scored the highest USMLE step 1 board score in the history of the school.   During medical school he earned both a PhD (physiology and biophysics) and MD degrees.  He was selected as a member of Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA), medical honor society during his junior year of medical school.

He was then accepted into a residency program at the prestigious and world renowned Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota in the department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery.  During residency, he found particular interest in surgical treatment of head and neck cancer and the reconstructions necessary to restore form and function.  He recognized that of all the areas of ENT/head and neck surgery, he most enjoyed the sub-specialty of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.  After residency, he was asked to be part of a coveted fellowship program to further hone his skills in the area of facial plastic surgery. 

He completed his fellowship under the tutelage of Dr. Daniel Rousso, current President of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), in Birmingham, Alabama.  The fellowship was directed under the auspices of both the AAFPRS and the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), of which Dr. Rousso is a past-President.  Dr. Bitner is the only physician in the state of Utah and one of only a handful of physicians in the world who is fellowship trained in both Facial Plastic Surgery and Hair Restoration Surgery.

After completing his training, Dr. Bitner received an opportunity to return home and work alongside his father and many other fine physicians at the Tanner Clinic.  He brings world-class training and experience back to Utah.  Dr. Bitner comes from a long line of physicians.  He is proud and honored to carry on the legacy of the highest quality medical care and compassion that his grandfather, father and uncles have provided to members of our community.

Dr. Bitner is married and has six wonderful children. When not at work, Dr. Bitner most enjoys spending time with his wife and children, usually on the slopes or on the lake.  He also enjoys riding bicycles (mountain and road) and motorcycles, playing golf and competing in triathlons.