Biography
Dennis Van Dorp, M.D., is a fellowship trained advanced gastrointestinal/minimally invasive surgeon, specializing in a broad range of surgical treatments for disease and conditions of the esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, gallbladder and more. Dr. Van Dorp performs robotic, laparoscopic and open surgery.
According to Dr. Van Dorp, he was drawn to the field of general surgery based on the wide variety of pathologies and cases. “I chose the field of minimally invasive surgery because I am a person who loves new gadgets and technologies,” he said. “This field allows me to offer cutting-edge technology and techniques like robotic surgery, which allow for complex procedures to be performed using smaller incisions. Smaller incisions means patients are able to heal and recover more quickly.”
Philosophy of Care
“Surgery oftentimes offers a definitive treatment for a medical condition,” he said. “I like being able to help my patients recover from their medical problem and improve their quality of life.”
Dr. Van Dorp works hard to comprehend his patients’ unique medical problems and understand their personal beliefs and needs in order to develop lasting doctor-patient relationships. “I believe this allows for patients to not only participate in their medical care, but also to make informed decisions and create individualized treatment plans that satisfies their wishes,” he added. “I want to teach my patients about their disease, so that they are comfortable with their decisions and with me as their physician. In order to deliver this care, I believe in a team-based approach, so that they can experience the best outcomes.” According to Dr. Van Dorp, this often involves collaboration with multiple specialties, such as a patient’s primary care provider or cardiologist.
Special Interests and Procedures
Dr. Van Dorp performs paraesophageal and traditional hernia repairs, surgery for gastroparesis, as well as minimally invasive complex gastrointestinal surgery. He has extensive robotic surgery training and offers a variety of robotic-assisted procedures.
In his free time, he enjoys golfing, fishing, watching sports, and spending time with family and friends.