Oticon Medical today announces its new non-surgical portfolio, Ponto Instant, designed to broaden access to bone conduction hearing and offer more choice for users and hearing care professionals.
The Ponto Instant portfolio includes the Softband 5, Oticon Medical’s established and trusted non-surgical solution, and now expands with the launch of the new Instant SoundConnector, further strengthening its wearable offering for children and adults who prefer a non-surgical solution.
Instant SoundConnector: an alternative headwear option
The Instant SoundConnector is a small accessory that is fitted onto a hat or other headwear to hold the sound processor in place. It offers an additional non-surgical wearing option for specific occasions and individual style preferences. By allowing users to wear their sound processor with a favorite hat or headwear, The Instant
SoundConnector makes it easier to personalize the wearing experience.
For the best non-surgical experience without undergoing an implant procedure, the Softband 5 isthe recommended option. The Softband 5 can be fitted with a Ponto 5 Mini or Ponto 5 SuperPower. ThePonto 5 SuperPower (65 dB) is especially valuable during the trial period, where extra power helps to overcome skin attenuation and provide an experience closer to that of an implanted device. Instant SoundConnector strengthens the portfolio by adding a complementary option for users who want another way to wear their sound processor.
Supporting choice across the hearing journey
With the introduction of Ponto Instant, Oticon Medical continues its commitment to providing a complete portfolio of bone conduction hearing solutions that supports users throughout their hearing journey, from non-surgical wearables to implanted solutions.
“Ponto Instant brings together non-surgical solutions that give users and hearing care professionals greater choice across different needs and preferences,” said René Govaerts, President & General Manager, Oticon Medical. “With the Instant SoundConnector, we are continuing to build a portfolio that supports more individual wearing options.”
Ponto Instant marks another step in Oticon Medical’s mission to support users and hearing care professionals with flexible solutions that combine comfort, discretion and ease of use. Availability of the Instant SoundConnector is subject to regulatory approval in respective markets.
Oticon Medical US is thrilled to announce that in January 2026 the successful implantation of our 1,000th patient with the Sentio™ System was performed! This marks a significant milestone in the lifecycle of the Sentio, our first active transcutaneous bone anchored hearing system (BAHS) since its launch in late 2024.
The patient who received the implant, Erin L., expressed excitement after activation of her Sentio 1 Mini processor. “I definitely can hear better now!! I’m extremely grateful for this journey. You don’t realize what you’re missing out on until it’s brought back to you!”
Oticon Medical Regional Sales Director Michael Giaccomo, Clinical Territory Manager Dina Panopoulos, and Territory Manager Corey Brackmann were on hand to support the procedure. The team later hosted a celebration at Kaiser Permanente Fresno Medical Center, where Erin’s implantation procedure was performed.
Erin’s surgeon, ENT-Head & Neck Surgeon Dr. Jonathan Law, stated, “It’s a privilege to offer a surgery that is straightforward, yet profoundly rewarding, offering patients a transformative and life-changing improvement in hearing and connection with others.”
“It was both exciting and professionally rewarding to reach the 1,000th Sentio milestone for Oticon Medical, and for me as an audiologist,” shared Dr. Gisselle Warren, Erin’s audiologist. “Even more rewarding was observing, firsthand, the patient’s positive response to improved hearing for daily life communication and quality of life.”
Please join us in congratulating everyone involved in helping us reach this major milestone! We look forward to helping thousands of others who would benefit from our Sentio System for many years to come.
*Dr. Law has no financial relationship with Oticon and did not receive payment or sponsorship for his involvement in the featured case.
In memoriam, Ponto processor donated to a child in need
Oticon Medical has had the privilege of working with so many incredible individuals and families affected by hearing loss, including many who use our Ponto™ and Sentio™ Systems. Over the years we’ve built meaningful relationships with hearing health advocates, who are passionate about supporting others by sharing their personal experiences with hearing challenges.
One of our dearest advocates, Tamala “Tammy” Sullivan, recently passed away. Tammy touched countless lives with her kindness, courage, and unwavering dedication to the hard of hearing community. She offered not only information and guidance, but genuine hope—the kind that comes from someone who has walked the same path and chooses to light the way for others.
To honor Tammy’s generosity and the impact she made, we have donated a Ponto processor to a child in need.
Turning hearing challenges into a passion to help others
Tammy was especially passionate about helping children access the tools they need to thrive, which is why we felt this donation would be a meaningful way to continue her legacy.
“My family are honored that you are doing this,” said Tracy Sullivan, Tammy’s sister, when we consulted her about the donation. “My sister was a huge advocate for helping kids get what they needed to be successful. She loved to help people and would love this being done in her honor.”
Tammy learned sign language as a teenager and started working with the Deaf community. She was hard of hearing her entire life and was fitted with her first hearing aids as a teenager. When she read about bone anchored hearing systems, she was excited. Her traditional hearing aids had created problems that the bone anchored devices eliminated.
Meet Noah, recipient of Tammy’s gift of hearing
Another longtime advocate, Oticon Medical advocate-Ambassador Angela Sabal, helped us identify a family whose child needed a bone conduction processor but weren’t in a financial position to obtain one.
Noah is two-years-old and was born with hemifacial microtia, which his mother, Jessica, told us was “a surprise” when he was born. The family faced a long process of acceptance, researching the condition, and figuring out what steps to take moving forward.
Because of his condition, Noah is completely deaf on his left side. He has a plastic surgeon on board to reconstruct his ear when he is old enough (around 7-9 years old), an otolaryngologist to do the implantation surgery for a bone anchored hearing device (at around 5-7 yrs old), and an audiologist who Noah’s been seeing every six months since he was born. According to Noah’s otolaryngologist, he would not qualify for the surgery unless he wore a bone conduction device or something similar on a band as a first step. His audiologist loaned the family a bone conduction hearing processor to use until they were able to get one of their own.
The challenge for the family was insurance. They tried to go through their insurer twice, but both times were informed that insurance would only cover a small portion of the total cost. The balance was beyond the family’s means to cover out-of-pocket.
Upon being contacted by Oticon Medical about this donation in honor of Tammy, Jessica reached out to Noah’s audiologist, who confirmed that Noah would be able to use the Ponto being offered. She would just have to bring it in to be programmed for his specific hearing requirements. Jessica thanked Oticon Medical for reaching out and expressed her appreciation upon being informed of this opportunity to treat Noah’s hearing loss.
We will share more about Noah’s progress with his new Ponto processor when it becomes available.
A newly published clinical study in Otology & Neurotology confirms what many Sentio™ users already know: our newest bone conduction hearing system helps people hear more clearly and more comfortably than ever before. Conducted across six major European hospitals, the research highlights the meaningful impact of the Sentio System over the first six months after implantation. ¹
Key Takeaways
The Sentio System can help those with conductive hearing loss (CHL), mixed hearing loss (MHL), and single-sided deafness (SSD) hear more clearly by sending sound vibrations through bone instead of the ear canal.
Participants in the study showed major improvements in hearing ability and speech understanding, including in noisy listening conditions.
Surgery is fairly quick, with a fast recovery, and most participants reported little to no discomfort.
Over 90% of participants were highly satisfied with the Sentio System and most participants reportedly used their processor for the majority of their day on a regular basis.
Excellent safety outcomes with no serious device-related complications occurring.
If you’re living with conductive hearing loss (CHL), mixed hearing loss (MHL), or single-sided deafness (SSD), you know how challenging everyday listening can be. Traditional hearing aids aren’t always the best solution, especially when the middle ear isn’t functioning properly. That’s where bone conduction devices (BCDs) come in.
What Are Bone Conduction Devices?
BCDs work differently from traditional hearing aids. Instead of sound passing through the ear canal and middle ear, and then to the cochlea in the inner ear, BCDs capture the sound in the environment, amplify it, and turn it into vibrations that travel through the bones of the skull directly to the cochlea in the inner ear. This makes BCDs an excellent option for people who don’t benefit from traditional hearing aids.
BCDs come in two primary types: skin-drive systems, where vibrations pass through the skin, and direct-drive systems, where vibrations are delivered directly to the bone, without having to pass through the skin, enabling louder sound. The Sentio System uses an active transcutaneous direct-drive approach, combining the efficient sound transmission of a direct drive system with a discreet, under the skin implant. A small external sound processor attaches magnetically to the internal component, with the sound processor picking up sound and sending it to the implant. The sound processor and implant are the smallest available today.2
Initial Findings from the Sentio Study
In this study, researchers from multiple European hospitals followed 51 adults who received the implant and measured their hearing outcomes over the first six months. These participants will continue to be followed for up to 24 months, and these longer-term findings will also be published.
The results were overwhelmingly positive. The researchers found that the Sentio System provides powerful improvements in hearing ability, with participants experiencing an average of 32.8 dB improvement in hearing, which is a difference that has real-life impacts. The ability to understand speech also improved with the Sentio System. Excitingly, participants scored an average of 98% correct on speech-understanding tests in quiet. Even in the most noisy and challenging environments, the Sentio System was able to help participants understand speech better.
The Sentio System was also reported by participants to be comfortable and easy to use. Most participants wore their device for eight hours or more each day, and many participants reported a natural listening experience in their daily lives. The recovery after the short surgery was straightforward as well. Incisions healed quickly, discomfort was minimal, and participants were able to begin using their new hearing system shortly after.
In the six months following the surgery, there were no serious device-related complications, and while some minor issues, such as inflammation, occurred after the surgery, most of these occurrences were mild to moderate and most resolved quickly.
Summary
Big improvements in hearing
Participants had an average hearing improvement of 32.8 dB, a significant improvement that can have impactful real-life benefits.
Speech understanding in quiet listening conditions improved by an average of 52% with participants scoring an average of 98% accuracy on speech understanding when using their Sentio System.
When tested with background noise, speech understanding also improved with the Sentio System. On average, the Sentio System enabled participants to understand speech better when there was even more noise in the background (3 dB more noise in fact).
A simple and smooth surgery
On average, the surgical procedure took less than one hour.
By two weeks, the implant site was completely healed for all participants.
Most participants reported little or no pain following the placement of the Sentio implant.
There were no serious device-related complications, and adverse events were minor (e.g., temporary skin irritation or mild headaches) and improved over time.
High satisfaction and quality of life improvements
96% of participants reported improvements in their overall quality of life after receiving their Sentio System.
The majority of participants reported that the sound quality was natural-sounding.
The majority of participants used their sound processor for at least eight hours a day.
92% of participants reported being overall satisfied with their experience with the Sentio System.
The results of this study align with what our mission has always been: to give people a clearer, more confident connection to the world around them all with freedom of choice. Backed by peer-reviewed clinical evidence, Sentio combines advanced hearing performance, comfort, and reliability, making it a strong choice for anyone seeking a modern, effective hearing solution. Now is the perfect time to speak with your audiologist or hearing care provider to see if the Sentio System is right for you.
References
Hol, Myrthe Karianne Sophie,; Aukema, Tjerk Winusa; Ubbink, Sander Wilhelmus Johannesa; Lindholm, Dennis; Holmberg, Marcus; Arndt, Susan; Wolf, Stefanie; Monksfield, Peter; Marwa, Mihalache; Lenarz, Thomase; Busch, Susane; Tysome, James; Asher, Abif; Kok, Hermang; Mylanus Emmanuel Antonius, Maria. A Prospective, Multicenter Clinical Investigation on the Safety and Performance of a New Active Transcutaneous Bone-Anchored Implant System. Otology & Neurotology ():10.1097/MAO.0000000000004706, November 17, 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000004706
Sentio implant and sound processor physical features and comparison to other devices (Doc-00123204)
We would like to thank Casey J., Danica’s mother, for giving us permission to share Danica’s experience with her new Sentio™ System.
Our beautiful, funny, brave, smart as a whip, spunky, and sassy Danica was born with microtia and aural atresia. We later learned her microtia and atresia were part of a craniofacial condition called Hemifacial Microsomia, which for Danica, also affects her skull, right eye, soft palate, jaw, mouth and facial nerves. Due to these conditions, Danica has severe conductive hearing loss in her right ear. She also has mild-moderate loss in her left due to a history of ear infections and a perforated eardrum that never healed.
Danica has worn a bone achored hearing system (BAHS) since she was seven-months-old. First on a soft headband, and then she had surgery at six-years-old so she could wear it on an abutment. Just recently, she made the decision to be implanted with the new Oticon Medical Sentio System, which allows her to wear her bone conduction device on a magnet.
Danica loves how much lighter the processor is, how there’s little to no feedback at all…especially when her thick hair rubs against it. She loves how she can wear it under her hair and no one knows it’s there. She loves how she can wear her bulky headphones with the device and it doesn’t touch them (all the cool kids are wearing the bulky headphones apparently, LOL) and she loves how clear everything sounds!
Danica recently had an audiology follow-up to assess how well her Sentio is helping her and to make any adjustments. She’s so resilient, I often forget how hard of hearing she really is. Her Sentio is bringing her hearing loss up to a slight-mild loss, which is amazing considering her loss is so severe. The audiologist made a few adjustments, and we were on our way.
She is so happy with her decision to get the Sentio magnet implanted, and it makes my mama heart happy, too. Oh, and report cards came out today; she got five A’s and one B. She really has to work so hard. I told her she must be so proud of herself. We know we are.
Please join us in congratulating Danica on her new Sentio System! We also thank her and Casey for their ongoing support of the hard of hearing and microtia communities.
In previous years, we have provided articles with travel tips for our Ponto™ System wearers. Now that it’s time for winter vacations, here are suggestions for traveling with your Sentio™ System, the active transcutaneous hearing system we introduced more than a year ago. We hope these tips will help you enjoy your time away from home with confidence!
Airline Travel with Sentio
If you are traveling by plane, make sure you inform TSA personnel that you are wearing an implantable hearing device. They will recommend whether you should remove your Sentio 1 Mini sound processor(s) at the security checkpoint, so follow their instructions. Don’t worry—it is safe to pass through the scanner.
Once on the airplane, you can enable Flight Mode during takeoff and landing to disable your Sentio’s Bluetooth®, if required by flight personnel. The sound processor itself will continue working, so you can hear your seatmate, flight attendants, and announcements.
Activate or deactivate Flight Mode by pressing either the front- or back-facing part of the Sentio’s double push button for seven seconds. After a few seconds, you will hear a jingle that indicates Mute mode. Keep pressing the button until a final jingle is heard, which confirms you have successfully activated/deactivated Flight Mode. Removing and reinserting the battery will also deactivate Flight Mode, with the same, short jingle confirming implementation.
Sentio Maintenance Throughout Your Trip
While you’re traveling, it is a good idea to keep your Sentio 1 Mini in its case whenever you aren’t using it. This protects it from dust, dirt, water, or other substances that could affect its performance.
You should be aware that the chemicals used in cosmetics may damage the processor. These include items commonly used during vacations, including the following:
Hairspray
Perfume
Aftershave cream or lotion
Suntan lotion or spray
Insect repellant
If you use any of the above, make sure you do so before putting on your Sentio processor and avoid the area around it as much as possible.
While the processor is resistant to daily life situations (e.g., exposure to rain going from your car to someplace indoors), it is not waterproof, so don’t dive into a swimming pool or otherwise immerse it in water. Of course, accidents can happen. If your Sentio 1 Mini winds up getting wet, remove the battery lid, remove the battery and let it dry out. If you have a hearing aid dryer along, you can put it in that for a cycle.
Keep Your Sentio System Charged
One thing you definitely want to avoid is having your Sentio 1 Mini run out of charge while you’re traveling. Battery life varies depending on usage time, sound environment, how frequently you stream, and other factors. Make sure you bring enough spare Size 675 batteries along to keep your processor up and running for the length of your trip. They are small, so err on the side of packing more than you think you might need. Don’t forget the battery lid tool included with your Sentio System, so that you can easily open the battery door.
You will know it is time to replace the battery when you hear consecutive beeps repeated in moderate intervals, as follows:
Three alternate beeps indicate that the battery is running low
Four beeps in a descending tone indicate that the battery is running out completely
Another sign that the battery is running low is that Bluetooth will turn off and you will lose connection to your phone or other wireless accessories.
NOTE: If your hearing care professional turned on the optional LED indicator when programming your Sentio 1 Mini, this tiny light will blink orange repeatedly to notify you when your battery is running low.
Secure Your Sentio 1 Mini Processor
Since travelers tend to engage in more physical activities than usual, it is a good idea to attach a safety line to your Sentio 1 Mini processor. This reduces the risk of the processor being knocked off and damaged or lost. To attach the safety line, watch this helpful how-to video and follow these steps:
Pass the loop of the safety line through the attachment hole in the battery lid
Pass the loop through the attachment hole in the sound processor
Insert the sound processor through the loop of the safety line and tighten
Attach the safety line clip to your clothing
TIP: Make sure you don’t pull or tug on the safety line, as this could disconnect the processor.
In Case of Emergency
While of course we hope this situation never arises, medical emergencies sometimes happen during vacation travel. In the spirit of preparedness, we suggest you download and bring the MRI Security Card for the Sentio System. Fold it and keep it in your wallet, and/or make sure someone traveling with you knows where it is. You can also store the URL in your phone: MRI Security Card for Sentio System
We hope you found this information useful! If you ever have any questions or concerns about the care and maintenance of your Sentio System, please contact us at 888.277.8014 or [email protected].
Allison Lenear, AuD, lost her hearing due to repeated ear drum perforations. After multiple ear infections rendered her hearing aid for one ear ineffective, she decided to try Oticon Medical’s Sentio™ System. Here she shares her experience from the unique perspective as both a hearing care professional and a patient.
Early Experience with Hearing Loss Led to Early Advocacy
My hearing loss is the result of chronic ear drum perforations left after many Pressure Equalization (PE) tube placements. At the age of 15, after four failed tympanoplasties (two on each side), I was fitted with binaural hearing aids by my audiologist. He asked, “Aren’t you tired at the end of the day?” which I thought was just a teenager thing!
My hearing aids helped me hear and understand better in class, be more confident when working my afterschool job, and improved my ability to hear whispers backstage as a stage manager in my high school’s theater department. It was at that time I decided I wanted to be the person to help other people in my position accept their hearing loss and feel confident advocating for themselves. When classmates or strangers asked, “What are those things behind your ears?” I was never offended or embarrassed; it was an excellent way to start educating people around me that hearing aids are not only for older adults.
Accepting the Need to Move Beyond Traditional Hearing Aids
I graduated with my Doctor of Audiology degree from the University of Louisville in 2017 and started working as an audiologist at ENT of Athens, where I’d completed my fourth-year externship the previous year. I hadn’t had many ear infections as an adult, meaning there was no issue with traditional amplification. However, within the past two years, I started developing frequent bacterial and fungal infections, especially in the left ear. I wasn’t able to wear my hearing aid in that ear while being treated for the infection, making it difficult to hear and understand my patients. Each time I had an infection, it meant going about two weeks unaided on the affected side. It increased my stress, made the strain to hear and understand more difficult, and made me start avoiding things I love to do because it was so exhausting having to strain to hear. Because of this, I started thinking about a bone anchored solution.
Over the years, I’ve tried pretty much any new hearing aid that came out from all six major manufacturers but always ended up coming back to Oticon. I knew that for any sort of bone anchored device, especially when choosing to surgically implant it, I wanted the incredible sound quality, dependability, and reliability that I had come to rely on. So, when the Sentio™ System received FDA approval in the US, I knew I wanted to make the leap. It took some time to get it approved through the hospital, but on July 3, 2025, I became the first recipient in Athens, GA to receive the Sentio, courtesy of my physician and friend, Dr. Jacline Phillips.
My only concern before surgery was that I would be the first transcutaneous bone anchored hearing system recipient in the facility I had the surgery in! I was confident in my surgeon, who had performed many bone anchored hearing surgeries (percutaneous and other manufacturers’ transcutaneous devices), but the surgical team in the operating room was unfamiliar with them. Luckily, between Dr. Phillips and our Oticon Medical Territory Manager, Dr. Dianna Tingle, everything went off without a hitch.
Undergoing the Sentio Procedure and Processor Fitting
Dr. Phillips mentioned how much easier the Sentio was to implant versus competitors’ products. My incision was much smaller than I anticipated and lined up almost exactly with where my current tympanoplasty scars were located (behind my ear).
Recovery was extremely easy. I had surgery on Thursday and went back to work on Monday. Would I recommend that for everyone? Absolutely not! The only unforeseen issue was that I wear glasses and do not have contacts. So, when I wore my headset to perform hearing evaluations, the arm of my glasses pressed against my beautifully stitched incision and caused some discomfort. I was able to utilize the free accessory included with the Sentio, the EduMic, and connect it to my hearing aid on the right side to be able to hear patients while they were in the test booth, which eliminated pressure from the headset. I continued using that system for about a week after my stitches were removed. Since that time, I have had no pain or discomfort around the surgical site—it is almost like it never happened.
The two weeks leading up to my surgery, I had a fungal infection in the left ear and was unable to wear my hearing aid. I patiently waited two-and-a-half weeks before fitting the Sentio 1 Mini processor [Note: see video snippet below taken during Allison’s fitting session]. Since I was the first to receive a Sentio in our practice, Dr. Phillips, my colleagues, the office manager, and even Dianna came for the fitting. My colleague, who I consider “my” audiologist, was out of the country for vacation and FaceTime’d into the appointment as well!
Feeling Confident with the Sentio 1 Mini
Not having worn any type of amplification for the two weeks leading up to surgery (and more than two weeks after), it was really emotional and an enormous relief to be able to hear from my left side again. Initially, the sound quality was a little different with just my Sentio on, but when I put my right hearing aid in (a pink Oticon REAL™ 1 miniRITE-T with sparkly, swirly ear mold, of course), the sound quality was essentially exactly what I was used to with binaural air conduction amplification. I was able to localize sounds and hear again!
The day after my fitting, I went on a walk with a friend, who is an audiologist, and her linguist husband through our neighborhood. She and I were walking side by side and when I realized that, even though her husband was walking behind us, I could still hear and understand what he was saying… it was unbelievable. I was also able to hear cars and bikes coming from behind, which had been a safety concern of mine in the past when walking alone. Sentio has given me the freedom and the confidence to feel safe walking alone outside. It is absolutely lifechanging.
I love Made for iPhone® (MFi) streaming! I do miss binaural streaming, which isn’t a possibility as far as I am aware, since I am wearing two different devices now (Sentio plus hearing aid). If I need/want binaural streaming, I switch to my headphones, no biggie.
I used to be so worried about infections and making sure my left ear was dry, on top of being annoyed at having something in the left ear. So, most of the time, I would take my hearing aids out when I got home from work. My sweet husband never complained, even if I was complaining that I couldn’t hear due to taking out my own hearing aids, ha-ha! Now, when I am home, the Sentio 1 Mini processor stays on and the hearing aid in my right ear doesn’t bother me, so I am more present and need him to repeat things much less frequently.
My colleagues, after having to deal with me for a solid month of infection and healing, were incredibly relieved when I was fit. An unintended benefit, since I am more aware, is that I am much less jumpy/startled less often by people outside my peripheral vision or behind me. One of my other physicians used to think it was a fun game to sneak up behind me and surprise me—but no more, Dr. Mixson! You have been defeated by the incredible Sentio technology!
I have been pleasantly surprised by how well the processor stays firmly magnetized during walks outside in the southern heat, during Pilates, and in yoga—even when I am in crazy positions! I have only heard feedback once when in a yoga position where my arm was tucked right by my processor, but my friend next to me said she didn’t hear it at all.
I used to have a lot of anxiety and stress due to my frustration over being historically unable to understand speech in certain environments. In the short time we have been together, the Sentio System has been amazing. It makes me feel confident in those situations: being able to hear from which direction traffic noise is coming, my friends walking behind me, and in crowded restaurants—it has brought me a lot of peace. If I start to spiral at particular recommendations for Happy Hour, I must remind myself that I might not have been to that particular restaurant since I activated my Sentio, and so maybe I will do better this time. About 99 percent of the time, I am correct (some places just have terrible acoustics)!
Because the sound quality is quite different from my hearing aid, I used my audiology knowledge and figured out that, similar to cochlear implants, there may be some listening practice involved. Over a few weekends, when at home with my husband, I wore just my Sentio to let my brain adjust to the new sound. Since sound is being transmitted differently than I have experienced in the past, it’s just different! I waited two weeks after my initial fitting before making any adjustments to the settings, which is the same timeframe I request my hearing aid patients wait while trying to adjust to new sound. It has been one month (as of this writing) since my fitting and unsurprisingly, things now sound completely normal. Amazing what can happen when you follow your own advice!
NOTE: Since providing us with this user story, Dr. Lenear has joined Oticon Medical as a Clinical Specialist for New England.
This series of posts introduces you to our current roster of Oticon Medical employees in the United States. As you know, we’ve been through a lot of changes over the past few years. We are pleased that so many wonderful new people have joined our team of dedicated employees!
Robert Gulock, General Manager and Vice President
Please join us in welcoming our new General Manager and Vice President of Sales, North America, Robert!
Background
Robert was excited join Oticon Medical as General Manager and Vice President of Sales for North America back in July of 2025. “For those of you who know and love her…I’m the “new Laura,” he said.
Robert’s career in healthcare spans more than 30 years, including leadership roles with Johnson & Johnson, Boston Scientific, and Advanced Bionics/Sonova. Much of that time was spent building hearing healthcare businesses across the US, Asia, and Latin America. He helped open the Chinese market for cochlear implants, scaled sales more than tenfold in Japan, and supported physicians and audiologists in 25 countries.
Customer service has always been at the heart of everything Robert does. Whether it was partnering with surgeons in Tokyo, training distributor teams in Brazil, or working side by side with US audiologists, he has spent decades ensuring that providers have what they need to deliver the best outcomes for their patients. That focus on service and partnership is something he’s delighted to carry forward at Oticon Medical.
Current Responsibilities
Robert said he “feels honored” to step into the role of General Manager and VP Sales, North America with Oticon Medical, a company rooted in innovation, purpose, and a deep commitment to improving lives through hearing health.
Throughout his career in medtech and commercial leadership, he has had the opportunity to help build and scale businesses that drive meaningful outcomes for patients. Oticon Medical’s unwavering focus on people, both in the technology we bring to market and in the teams that make it possible, convinced Robert to join the company.
He is looking forward to partnering with our talented teams across the US, Canada, and globally to expand access to our Ponto™ and Sentio™ bone anchored implant solutions, strengthen relationships with clinicians and healthcare systems, and advocate for patient choice. “The hearing healthcare space is evolving rapidly, and I believe Oticon Medical is uniquely positioned to lead with integrity, science, and heart,” Robert said.
On a personal note, Robert was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan (“Go Blue!” and “Go Lions!”). He has had the incredible opportunity to live and work in Belgium (one year), Switzerland (five years), and Japan (23 years) throughout his career. He has been married to his wife, Grace, for 35 years. They have one daughter, who will be graduating from Johns Hopkins next year as the first doctor in their family. Robert now resides in Denver, Colorado and enjoys spending his free time in the mountains golfing in the spring and summer, fly fishing in the fall, and snowboarding in the winter.
Please join us in officially welcoming Robert to the team!
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Oticon Medical is available to assist you by phone during office hours of Monday-Friday 8:00 am to 7 pm ET. Please feel free to call (888) 277-8014 or you can send them a message anytime via email at [email protected].
Dr. Stephanie Galarneault lost her hearing due to a rare tumor. After struggling with traditional hearing aids, her ENT told her about Oticon Medical’s Ponto™ System. In this post, she describes her experiences so far, which we appreciate her allowing us to share.
The Impact of an Unexplained Hearing Loss
Originally, I thought my poor hearing was the result of a disastrous (and yet very fun) water tubing accident with my sons! Of course, hearing is always important. That said, I am at a stage in life where I communicate constantly. I listen to students in college classrooms. I listen while enjoying a Happy Hour with colleagues and friends.
I listen at parent meetings for my kid’s school. Most importantly, I listen to my children and husband as we navigate our busy family life in a giant old Victorian house.
The Search for Effective Hearing Aids
Eventually, an MRI revealed a vestibular schwannoma—a slow-growing tumor that is crushing my hearing nerve. I tried regular hearing aids for well over a year but could never get comfortable. I tried everything to make the hearing aids work—heat, cold, massaging muscles, physical therapy. No matter what I tried, I always ended up with extreme fatigue and discomfort after wearing them.
Audiologists kept encouraging me to keep trying. Eventually, my ENT neurosurgeon mused out loud, “Hearing aids should really not cause discomfort—unless you have (temporomandibular joint disorder) TMJ.” Bingo! Mystery solved. I do, in fact, have TMJ and wearing traditional hearing aids was always going to be uncomfortable.
Life After Getting a Ponto
The biggest benefits for me are that I can wear my Ponto device all day, every day, and there is no significant discomfort.
I was excited before my surgery—hopeful that the new approach might help with hearing. It is terrible to miss out on communication, especially as a Communications professor! It is also exhausting for our brain, constantly trying to figure out meaning when it is only pulling in a limited amount of data. I get really tired by the end of each day. Ponto helps with that.
The surgery went well. It was quick and easy. Healing and upkeep were fairly easy processes.
Anyone who has significant hearing issues knows the feeling when the switch is flipped and suddenly, we can hear. That moment is incredible, awe-inspiring and emotional. My son videotaped me hearing well for the first time in a very long time. The video does not disappoint (watch at end of post).
I remember that, for me, one of my primary feelings was relief that I did not have to work so hard to understand everything. It was as if a great task that my brain was managing was suddenly gone. It freed up so much more energy for regular life!
Inside the college classroom, it is helpful to swing between listening to a single speaker, to speakers while groups are working/talking, and to several speakers at the same time. The Bluetooth®-enabled wireless streaming might be my favorite part of this new device. I listen to audio news stories and audio books through the Ponto almost every day.
I find the size to be comfortable. Once every few weeks, the spot around my abutment feels tender and sore. A dermatologist prescribed Fluocinonide (.05% solution). It works amazingly well. Within an hour I can no longer feel irritation. It may not occur with everyone, but it certainly did with me. I would also love to highlight how simple topical treatments can bring almost total relief.
I love being able to listen to an audio book while I walk. I also enjoy being able to hear the yoga instructor when I take classes! Traveling with Ponto is also extremely easy. At the airport, I warn TSA agents but have only been flagged for the metal abutment once. That just resulted in a quick swipe with the metal detector bar. I feel so much safer traveling all around the world knowing that I can be more present and aware in my surroundings.
While my hearing is still not perfect, I have found that if I pay attention to where I sit, I can now manage situations better than before.
I think many/most people do not notice my Ponto System. I do talk about my hearing loss in college classrooms, largely because I want to normalize (and personalize) hearing loss and the benefits of using accommodations to be able to actively participate.
Dr. Stephanie Galarneault has a Ph.D in Organizational Communication from Purdue University and is a Lecturer in Communication Studies in the College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
Earlier this year, Oticon Medical Marketing Manager and audiologist, Hilary McManus, had the opportunity to travel to Malawi with Hearing the Call, a nonprofit organization that focuses not on short-term relief, but on the long-term development of sustainable hearing healthcare in the communities it serves. Rather than providing one-time care and moving on, Hearing the Call collaborates with local professionals to build lasting systems through education, training, and access to resources.
This model of development over relief is backed by growing global health research. Short-term missions can sometimes unintentionally undermine local providers, disrupt continuity of care, and create dependency. Sustainable development, on the other hand, strengthens local infrastructure, empowers communities, and ensures that care continues long after international teams depart.1.2.3.4.
In Malawi, Hilary saw firsthand the vital role local providers play in ensuring that care is both sustainable and culturally responsive. These providers bring invaluable insights into their communities, enhancing the quality and relevance of the care delivered.
During three clinical days, Hilary’s group saw 174 patients, which included 113 traditional hearing aid fittings and eight Ponto™ fittings. They were also able to provide training to local audiologists and audiology students to ensure these patients receive top-tier follow-up care.
It was a whirlwind of activity, but what stood out most was the collaboration with dedicated Malawian clinicians and students, whose commitment to their patients and profession is nothing short of inspiring. Hilary’s group tried to see as many patients as possible while still providing excellent care. Even in this fast-paced environment, every individual on the team was able to not only teach, but learn from clinicians, students, and patients.
One of the audiologists on the trip asked everyone to think of one word to describe their time in Malawi and the first word that popped into Hilary’s mind was laughter. “Of course, we all worked hard giving those who attended the outreach clinics the best possible care,” Hilary shared. “But what I remember most are the moments of shared laughter between team members, with patients, and with my Malawian colleagues. It was the kind of laughter that supersedes language barriers, eases the weight of long days, and reminds you why you chose this profession in the first place.”
Despite the high prevalence of otitis media (an infection of the middle ear) and associated hearing loss, few Malawians have ever received a hearing device. Misconceptions about hearing loss and ear infections, combined with limited access to care with widespread use of home remedies, highlight critical gaps in hearing health literacy and service delivery. Bone anchored hearing systems like Ponto are uniquely suited to these communities, where conductive hearing loss and middle ear conditions are extremely common.
A Note from Yamikani Dumbo, Local Malawi Audiologist
Malawi faces significant challenges in addressing hearing loss due to limited resources. There is only one institution offering an Audiology degree, making it difficult for aspiring audiologists to access education and training. Consequently, the country lacks sufficient audiologists to provide essential services. Those who do qualify often seek job opportunities abroad, leaving Malawi with a severe shortage of skilled professionals.
Although four government hospitals offer audiology services, access to care remains insufficient due to limited equipment and resources. Furthermore, the absence of hearing aids at these hospitals limits the effectiveness of hearing loss diagnoses. This lack of services and essential tools deepens the problem, leaving many individuals without access to the care they need.
The state of audiology in Malawi is concerning and requires attention. There is a need to raise awareness through educating the public about the importance of ear health and the consequences of untreated hearing loss. Increasing accessibility in audiology education and training opportunities to increase the number of skilled professionals is needed to minimize challenges in accessing care. It is also essential to improve local audiology services by providing appropriate equipment and resources so they can offer comprehensive care.
Resources and Special Thanks
Hearing the Call was founded in 2016 to address the needs of thousands of individuals worldwide with treatable hearing losses who lack access to hearing aids. If you or your organization would like to support their efforts to aid hard of hearing people around the world, please visit https://hearingthecall.org/. You can also learn more about their outreach trips and volunteer opportunities.
Hilary and Oticon Medical would like to personally thank all the Hearing the Call employees and volunteers she worked with on this trip, including co-development and clinical lead Dr. Heidi Hill, co-development lead Dr. Jenna Vallario, Entheos Director of Education and Research Laurel Gregory, and photographer/videographer Cristian Veaudry.
Thanks also go out to the hearing care professionals who joined HIlary on the Malawi trip, including Dr. Sarah Conrad, Dr. Nad Kattan, and audiology student Anna Rippy and Malawian audiologists Yamikani Dumbo and Alinane Malili, Head of the Audiology Department at African Bible College (ABC), ENT physician Dr. Julia Toman and infectious disease specialist Dr. Zach Porterfield.
Most of all, we’d like to share our deep appreciation of the incredible, very soon-to-be audiologists Mphatso Dube, Enittah Chikuse, Flocy Square, Angella Banda, Peace Chikuniwenda, Micah Mbewe, Mercy Msakwiza, Cuthbert Mbalame, and Jane Iradukunda.
References
1. Chaus, M. (2020). The dark side of doing good: A qualitative study to explore perceptions of local healthcare providers regarding short-term surgical missions in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Journal of Global Health Reports, 4, e2020002. https://doi.org/10.29392/001c.11876
Journal of Global Health Reports
2. Tracey, P., Rajaratnam, E., Varughese, J., Venegas, D., Gombachika, B., Pindani, M., Ashbourne, E., & Martiniuk, A. (2022). Guidelines for short-term medical missions: Perspectives from host countries. Globalization and Health, 18(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-022-00815-7
BioMed Central
3. Melby, M. K., Loh, L. C., Evert, J., Prater, C., Lin, H., & Khan, O. A. (2016). Beyond medical "missions" to impact-driven short-term experiences in global health (STEGHs): Ethical principles to optimize community benefit and learner experience. Academic Medicine, 91(5), 633–638. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000001009
ResearchGate
4. Prasad, S., Aldrink, M., Compton, B., Lasker, J., Donkor, P., Weakliam, D., Rowthorn, V., Mantey, E., Martin, K., Omaswa, F., Benzian, H., Calgua-Guerra, E., Maractho, E., Agyire-Tettey, K., Crisp, N., & Balasubramaniam, R. (2022). Global health partnerships and the Brocher Declaration: Principles for ethical short-term engagements in global health. Annals of Global Health, 88(1), 31. https://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.3577
Tammy was especially passionate about helping children access the tools they need to thrive, which is why we felt this donation would be a meaningful way to continue her legacy.
Upon being contacted by Oticon Medical about this donation in honor of Tammy, Jessica reached out to Noah’s audiologist, who confirmed that Noah would be able to use the Ponto being offered. She would just have to bring it in to be programmed for his specific hearing requirements. Jessica thanked Oticon Medical for reaching out and expressed her appreciation upon being informed of this opportunity to treat Noah’s hearing loss.
