William Tierney, MD
Primary Location
Westlake Medical Campus Building A
- Appointment:
- 216.444.8500
- Desk:
- 216.445.6468
- Fax:
- 216.445.9409
Additional Locations
Head and Neck Institute
Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
9500 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44195
Directions
- Appointment:
- 216.444.8500
- Desk:
- 216.445.6468
- Fax:
- 216.445.9409
Treatment & Services
- Airway Stenosis Treatment
- Head and Neck Cancer Treatment
- Laryngeal Electromyography
- Laryngeal Framework Surgery
- Laryngeal Reinnervation
- Laryngeal Videostroboscopy
- Laryngoscopy
- LGBTQIA+ Health
- Post-Acute Care
- Tracheal Resection
- Tracheostomy
- Tracheostomy Care
- Transgender Surgery
- Vocal Cord Paralysis Treatment
- Voice and Larynx Surgery
Specialty in Diseases & Conditions
- Laryngeal Cancer
- Laryngeal Stenosis
- Laryngeal Tracheal Reconstruction
- Subglottic Stenosis
- Swallowing Disorders
- Tracheal Stenosis
- Vocal Cord Dysfunction
- Vocal Cord Paralysis
- Vocal Fatigue
- Voice Disorders
- Voice Issues for Professional Singers
Insurance
Is Cleveland Clinic Part of Your Insurance?
Review a list of accepted insurance plans for our Northeast Ohio locations or learn more about purchasing a contracted managed care plan.
View All PlansAbout William Tierney, MD
Dr. Tierney graduated from the University of California Berkeley in 2008 and completed a graduate degree in Applied Human Anatomy at Case Western Reserve University in 2011. During his graduate education he discovered a passion for head and neck anatomy and decided to pursue a career in Head and Neck Surgery. He completed his medical education at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and completed a second graduate degree in Clinical Research Science concurrently with his MD. He completed his residency training at the Cleveland Clinic. After residency he completed a Fellowship at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Laryngology and Care for the Professional Voice.
His interests within Laryngology includes the full range of voice, airway, and oropharyngeal swallowing disorders. He is specially qualified in the management and treatment of professional voice users, the medical and surgical treatment of vocal fold lesions such as polyps and nodules, management of early laryngeal cancers and recurrent papilloma, diagnosis and management of neurolaryngeal disorders such as spasmodic dysphonia and vocal tremor, the evaluation and treatment of post-intubation airway injury, medical and procedural management of refractory chronic cough, evaluation and treatment of oropharyngeal swallowing disorders, and open and endoscopic management of airway stenosis (laryngeal stenosis, bilateral vocal fold paralysis, post-intubation stenosis, high tracheal stenosis).
He is a dedicated clinical researcher and has participated in national studies of idiopathic subglottic stenosis, airway reconstructive techniques, and oropharyngeal surgical outcomes. He completed a graduate thesis evaluating the relative risks of office laryngeal procedures. His ongoing research focuses include airway reconstruction, quality improvement in tracheostomy care, risk minimization during intensive care, and acute laryngeal injury.
Listen to Dr. Tierney on our Head and Neck Innovations podcast - Speaking Clearer: Updates on Vocal Cord Paralysis Treatment
Education & Professional Highlights
Appointed
2022
Education & Fellowships
Fellowship - Vanderbilt University
Laryngology and Care of the Professional Voice
Nashville,
TN United States
2022
Residency - Cleveland Clinic
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Cleveland,
OH United States
2021
Graduate School - Case Western Reserve University - School of Graduate Studies
Clinical Research Science
Cleveland,
OH United States
2016
Medical Education - Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland,
OH United States
2016
Graduate School - Case Western Reserve University - School of Graduate Studies
Applied Human Anatomy
Cleveland,
OH United States
2011
Undergraduate - UC Berkeley
Molecular and Cellular Biology
CA United States
2008
Certifications
- Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Research & Publications
See publications for William Tierney, MD.
(Disclaimer: This search is powered by PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. PubMed is a third-party website with no affiliation with Cleveland Clinic.)
Industry Relationships
Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists may collaborate with the pharmaceutical or medical device industries to help develop medical breakthroughs or provide medical expertise or education. Cleveland Clinic strives to make scientific advances that will benefit patient care and support outside relationships that promise public benefit. In order for the discoveries of Cleveland Clinic physicians' and scientists' laboratories and investigations to benefit the public, these discoveries must be commercialized in partnership with industry. As experts in their fields, Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists are often sought after by industry to consult, provide expertise and education.
To assure professional and commercial integrity in such matters, Cleveland Clinic maintains a program that reviews these collaborations and, when appropriate, puts measures in place to minimize bias that may result from ties to industry. Cleveland Clinic publicly discloses the names of companies when (i) its physicians/scientists receive $5,000 or more per year (or, in rare cases, equity or stock options) for speaking and consulting, (ii) its physicians/scientists serve as a fiduciary, (iii) its physicians/scientists receive or have the right to receive royalties or (iv) its physicians/ scientists hold any equity interest for the physician's/scientist's role as inventor, discoverer, developer, founder or consultant.* In publicly disclosing this information, Cleveland Clinic tries to provide information as accurately as possible about its physicians' and scientists' connections with industry.
As of 1/20/2025, Dr. Tierney has reported no financial relationship with industry that is applicable to this listing. In general, patients should feel free to contact their doctor about any of the relationships and how the relationships are overseen by Cleveland Clinic. To learn more about Cleveland Clinic's policies on collaborations with industry and innovation management, go to our Integrity in Innovation page.
Public Health Service-Reportable Financial Conflicts of Interest. Cleveland Clinic scientists and physicians engage in basic, translational and clinical research activities, working to solve health problems, enhance patient care and improve quality of life for patients. Interactions with industry are essential to bringing the researchers' discoveries to the public, but can present the potential for conflicts of interest related to their research activities. Click here to view a listing of instances where Cleveland Clinic has identified a Public Health Service (PHS)-Reportable Financial Conflict of Interest and has put measures in place to ensure that, to the extent possible, the design, conduct and reporting of the research is free from bias.
* Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists subscribe to the guidance presented in the PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals and the AdvaMed Code of Ethics on Interactions with Health Care Professionals. As such, gifts of substantial value are generally prohibited.
234 Patient Satisfaction Reviews
The Patient Satisfaction Rating is an average of all responses to the care provider related questions shown below from our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. Patients that are treated in outpatient or hospital environments may receive different surveys, and the volume of responses will vary by question.
Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.
The comments are submitted by patients and reflect their views and opinions. The comments are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cleveland Clinic.
| Overall | Star Ratings | |
|---|---|---|
| Explains | 4.9 | |
| Courtesy, Respect & Concern | 4.9 | |
| Patient Rating of Doctor | 4.9 |
48 Patient Comments
© 2025 The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be altered, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, whether electronic, mechanical, by photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the Cleveland Clinic.
Reviewed on Apr 17, 2025
Dr.Tierney was good at explaining my condition in terms I could understand and in my options going forward.He did not rush the appointment and I feel very confident in him with my treatment going forward!
Reviewed on Apr 10, 2025
Enjoyed my time with Dr. Tinnery! Very informative, kind and knowledgeable.
Reviewed on Apr 1, 2025
Dr Tierney was very thorough, attentive, informative and professional.
Reviewed on Mar 19, 2025
Dr Tierney is wonderful and explains well!
Reviewed on Mar 11, 2025
Dr. Tierney is absolutely amazing. He has provided me with the care, help and knowledge that I have needed with my condition. He is extremely caring and patient when speaking to and treating me. Knowing how kind he is has alleviated the stress that I once had going into procedures. I am grateful for him.
Reviewed on Mar 6, 2025
Dr. Tierney was great! He explained everything very well and is very nice.
Reviewed on Feb 27, 2025
Best CC physician I've ever had.
Reviewed on Feb 18, 2025
Love Dr. Tierney
Reviewed on Feb 18, 2025
Dr. Tierney is an amazing and caring doctor that I am very fortunate to have as my ENT.
Reviewed on Feb 13, 2025
I love Dr Tieriney's office. They are polite, personable and very friendly
Reviewed on Feb 13, 2025
I love dr Tierney. I would highly reckoned him to anyone
Reviewed on Jan 24, 2025
Dr. T's ability to connect with me was wonderful. He explained medical issues fully, reassured me when I expressed worry, and answered my questions without hesitation.
Reviewed on Jan 23, 2025
The care that I receive from Dr. Tierney as a patient and a person is above and beyond anything I've ever experienced in my life. He has changed my life for the better and I cherish him as doctor.
Reviewed on Jan 20, 2025
The resident doctor and Dr. Tierney were wonderful, as usual
Reviewed on Jan 8, 2025
Dr T has always listened to me And "pretty much" hit the nail on the head
Reviewed on Dec 3, 2024
The Doctor and staff were fantastic
Reviewed on Dec 2, 2024
Dr Tierny his staff were so nice and helpful. I appreciated their kindness so much.
Reviewed on Nov 21, 2024
Docs was thorough, friendly caringand informative
Reviewed on Nov 18, 2024
Dr.tierney is a great doctor. I can't explain how much I respect and like him as a person, he cares a lot for his patients. I'm thankful I have him as a doctor.
Reviewed on Nov 18, 2024
I was very pleased with Dr. Tierney's knowledge of my previous surgery with Dr. Lorenze and his familiarity and expertise regarding my specific diagnosis.
Reviewed on Nov 11, 2024
Dr. Tierney is absolutely the best. I only wish I could score higher than very good!
Reviewed on Nov 7, 2024
Dr. Tierney is the best! He is so knowledgeable and kind and answered all my questions not to mention he helped cure my vocal fold issue. The Clinic is lucky to have him on staff.
Reviewed on Oct 17, 2024
Doctor Tierney really takes the time to explain everything and is very caring to make sure I feel comfortable with the treatment plan. I highly recommend the Doctor Tierney!
Reviewed on Oct 15, 2024
Dr.Tierney has been very straight forward with me. I felt confident in the care I was receiving.
Reviewed on Oct 10, 2024
Our visit with Dr. Tierney was amazing, and we were extraordinarily impressed with his knowledge about my condition, the treatment options he provided, the care with which he thoroughly described my diagnosis and treatment process, and his willingness to answer every question we had. My wife and I left his office in agreement that Dr. Tierney is the most impressive, compassionate physician we have ever met. It is delightful to meet a doctor who is professional, smart, and experienced while also possessing consummate people skills.
Reviewed on Oct 10, 2024
After contacting CC to request an appointment within a specialty in which I was not an established patient, I was amazed to hear back within two hours and be scheduled with Dr. Tierney 13 days later! Very impressive.
Reviewed on Oct 3, 2024
The nurse, PA/intern, and doctor were amazing, caring, and knowledgeable, giving us the highest level of service. We are thankful we came, having driven many hours to get here.
Reviewed on Sep 23, 2024
The care I received from Dr. Tierney was exceptional. He took his time to explain my surgery procedure and took the time to answer all my questions. Extremely knowledgeable and caring. I want to express my sincere appreciation for the professional care given to me.
Reviewed on Sep 23, 2024
The entire staff was not only caring but friendly and efficient. Being that this is the fourth time having surgery at Cleveland Clinic I have always received the best care from the best doctors. I highly recommend Cleveland Clinic doctors for displaying a high level of professionalism.
Reviewed on Sep 19, 2024
Excellent doctor. Thorough and good listener, and explained thoroughly! Work as a team with patient, providing excellent information and choices. This is one top-notch Dr ! Can't say enough good about him.
Reviewed on Aug 27, 2024
Dr. Tierney was fantastic - an accomplished physician but also clearly a remarkable human being.
Reviewed on Aug 22, 2024
Dr. Tierney is the best doctor I've ever had. He deserves an award and a promotion.
Reviewed on Aug 15, 2024
Dr. Tierney was exceptional!
Reviewed on Aug 8, 2024
The dr was in the emergency room with his wife but took time to come up for my appointment I was told I was going to see someone else which I had not problem with . But he said he could not let someone else see me I was a completed case . Great man great dr .....
Reviewed on Aug 1, 2024
Dr. Tierney took the time to listen to my history as well as my concerns.
Reviewed on Jul 31, 2024
Great doctor verycaring
Reviewed on Jul 31, 2024
Dr Tierney was awesome taking the time to explain options and answering my questions. The speech pathologist was wonderful too conducting the scope and explaining things
Reviewed on Jul 29, 2024
Dr. Tierney was very easy to talk to with all my concerns and questions. He is a great communicator. He made me feel comfortable and confident that he was the best provider to perform my procedure.
Reviewed on Jul 10, 2024
Dr. Tierney is the best! Very kind and concerned about my problems.
Reviewed on Jul 2, 2024
My experience at This office in my doctor fantastic
Reviewed on Jun 24, 2024
Dr Tierney is very caring and explains everything well!
Reviewed on Jun 20, 2024
I feel confident with Dr Tierney. He is very patient and explains everything.
Reviewed on Jun 11, 2024
Doctor Tierney was a excellent listener and provided detailed information on possibly upcoming procedures. He is well informed about the rare condition and how to treat it.
Reviewed on Jun 11, 2024
EXCELLENT IN ALL CATAGORIES. I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH THIS PROVIDER AND PA.
Reviewed on Jun 10, 2024
Dr. Tierney is the kindest and caring doctor that I have ever had. He genuinely has a heart of gold and truly cares about his patients. I feel extremely blessed and grateful to have him as my doctor.
Reviewed on Jun 6, 2024
Dr. Tierney and his team provided excellent care.
Reviewed on May 29, 2024
Dr. Tierney was very personable, patient and knowledgeable. He made me feel far less anxious about my surgery as he took the time to answer concerns I had. I'd highly recommend him!
Reviewed on May 13, 2024
Dr. Tierney and his team are just Amazing! As well as Dr. Milstein! I feel like they are my family!