Search for a doctor

D. Dean Potter, Jr., M.D.

  1. General Surgeon
  2. Pediatric Surgeon
  3. Thoracic Surgeon
Request an Appointment

Departments

Specialty Groups

Location

  1. Rochester, Minnesota

Languages

English

Existing patients

Dean Potter, Jr., M.D., is pediatric surgeon with a special interest in pediatric and adolescent thoracic disease, inflammatory bowel disease. He is the chair of the Division of Pediatric Surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. His approach to care is family centered.

His clinical focus includes:

  • Pediatric and adolescent medicine and surgery including minimally invasive, laparoscopic and robotic surgery
  • Chest wall anomalies including the Nuss procedure as treatment for pectus excavatum
  • Crohn's disease, gallstones, GERD, inflammatory bowel disease and umbilical hernia in infants, children and adolescents
  • Total proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (J-pouch surgery) for treatment of ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis
  • Conjoined twins

Dr. Potter earned his medical degree from the Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa. He completed surgery fellowships at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and The Children's Hospital at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

In addition to his clinical activities, Dr. Potter is an active leader in research and education. He is widely published in the field of pediatric surgery and has been awarded Teacher of the Year by the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and the Resident Excellency Award by the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

  1. Achalasia
  2. Adnexal tumors
  3. Adrenal cancer
  4. Benign adrenal tumor
  5. Cancer
  6. Colon polyps
  7. Congenital diaphragmatic hernia
  8. Conjoined twins
  9. Crohn's disease
  10. Diaphragmatic hernia
  11. Embryonal tumor
  12. Familial adenomatous polyposis
  13. Fecal incontinence
  14. Gallstones
  15. Gastroesophageal reflux disease
  16. Germ cell tumor
  17. Hemangioma
  18. Hiatal hernia
  19. Hirschsprung's disease
  20. Hydrocele
  21. Hyperhidrosis
  22. Immune thrombocytopenia
  23. Inflammatory bowel disease
  24. Inguinal hernia
  25. Intestinal obstruction
  26. Neuroblastoma
  27. Pectus carinatum
  28. Pectus excavatum
  29. Pediatric trauma
  30. Rectal prolapse
  31. Rhabdomyosarcoma
  32. Sarcoma
  33. Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome
  34. Ulcerative colitis
  35. Umbilical hernia
  36. Wilms' tumor
  1. Heller myotomy
  2. J-pouch surgery
  3. Laparoscopic surgery
  4. Minimally invasive surgery
  5. Nuss procedure
  6. Robotic surgery
  7. Splenectomy
  • Minimally invasive surgery
  • Single incision laparoscopic surgery
  • Pediatric trauma
  • Pediatric thoracic disease
  • Pediatric inflammatory bowel disease
  1. 2009
    FellowThe Children's Hospital Denver, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
  2. 2007
    ResidentSurgery, Programs in Rochester, Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
  3. 2007
    Graduate Fellowship - Surgical Training - Department of Surgery, Mayo ClinicMayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
  4. 2004
    Research Fellowship - Cardiovascular SurgeryMayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
  5. 2004
    ResidentClinician Investigator, Programs in Rochester, Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
  6. 2000
    MDCarver College of Medicine, University of Iowa
  7. 1996
    Research FellowshipDepartment of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
  8. 1995
    BSUniversity of Iowa

Certifications

  1. 2010
    Pediatric SurgeryAmerican Board of Surgery
  2. 2007
    General SurgeryAmerican Board of Surgery

Awards and honors

  1. 2016
    2016 Accelerated Regenerative Medicine Award, Clinical Application of Esophageal RegenerationMayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Medicine
  2. 2012
    Subspecialty Teacher of the Year AwardDepartment of Surgery
  3. 2010
    Teacher of the Year Award - Subspecialty ServiceDepartment of Surgery
  4. 2009
    Resident Excellency AwardUniversity of Colorado Health Sciences Center
  5. 2005
    Basic Science Research AwardMinnesota Surgical Society
  6. 2005
    Dr. Kaare K. Nygaard Travel Award for Basic Science ResearchDepartment of Surgery, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Department of Education Administration
  7. 2003
    Hungry Dog AwardDepartment of Surgery, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Department of Education Administration
  8. 2003
    Resident Day Research AwardDepartment of Surgery, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Department of Education Administration
  9. 2003
    Young Investigator, Hartz FoundationClinician Investigator Program, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Department of Education Administration
  10. 2003
    Surgical Research AwardBalfour Research Symposium, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Department of Education Administration
  11. 2000
    State of Iowa Medical ScholarshipCarver College of Medicine, University of Iowa
  12. 1996
    Trainee Investigator Award, Biomedicine '96American Society for Clinical Investigation
  13. 1995
    BS with DistinctionUniversity of Iowa
  14. 1993
    Beta Beta Beta National Honors SocietySimpson College
  15. 1991
    Honors ScholarshipSimpson College

Professional memberships

  1. 2019 - present
    DirectorAmerican College of Surgeons Children's Surgery Verification project
  2. 2019 - present
    Surgical DirectorDepartment of Surgery, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
  3. 2019 - present
    MemberNICU Quality & Safety Committee, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
  4. 2019 - present
    Video Task Force Committee, MemberInternational Pediatric Endosurgery Group
  5. 2017 - present
    DirectorChildren's Surgery Program
  6. 2016 - present
    Active MemberPediatric Trauma Committee, Trauma Committee, Mayo Clinic Rochester Committees
  7. 2016 - present
    Active MemberChildren's Surgical and Procedural Committee, Mayo Clinic Surgical and Procedural Committee
  8. 2016 - present
    Active MemberClinical Practice Committee, Department of Surgery
  9. 2015 - present
    Active MemberPediatric Trauma Performance Improvement Committee, Mayo Clinic Trauma Center
  10. 2015 - present
    MemberQuality Committee, Department of Surgery
  11. 2015 - present
    ChairDivision of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery
  12. 2012 - present
    MemberPediatric Trauma Society
  13. 2011 - present
    FellowAmerican College of Surgeons
  14. 2011 - 2013
    Medical DirectorPediatric Trauma Center
  15. 2011 - present
    MemberEastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma
  16. 2011 - present
    MemberNational Surgical Quality Improvement Program, Safety and Quality Committee, American College of Surgeons
  17. 2010 - 2016
    Associate Program DirectorGeneral Surgery Residency Program, Programs in Rochester, Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education
  18. 2010 - 2011
    CouncilorExecutive Committee, Minnesota Surgical Society
  19. 2010 - present
    MemberAmerican Pediatric Surgical Association
  20. 2009 - present
    MemberChildren's Oncology Group
  21. 2008 - 2013
    Active MemberPediatric Trauma Performance Improvement Committee, Mayo Clinic Trauma Center
  22. 2007 - present
    MemberPriestley Society
  23. 2006 - present
    MemberInternational Pediatric Endosurgery Group
  24. 2004 - 2007
    ChairVisiting Professor Committee, Department of Surgery
  25. 2004 - 2011
    Resident MemberAmerican College of Surgeons
  26. 2003 - 2004
    Web EditorAmerican Association for Thoracic Surgery
  27. 2002 - 2003
    Resident MemberSurgical Electronic Environment Workgroup, Mayo Clinic Rochester Surgical Committee, Mayo Clinic Rochester Committees
  28. 2000 - present
    MemberZumbro County Surgical Society
  29. 2000 - present
    MemberMinnesota Medical Association
  30. 1998 - present
    MemberAmerican Medical Association
  31.  
    Active MemberMass Casualty Committee

Publications