The Advanced Obesity Surgery Center: About Dr. Smith

Meet the Staff at WellStar Bariatric Services:

Dennis C. Smith, Jr., MD, FACS, FASMBS

Dr. Dennis C. Smith has been doing bariatric surgery since 1997, when he practiced in Biloxi, MS. In 1999 he began developing a technique for the biliopancreatic diversion with Duodenal Switch to be done completely laparoscopically, which he first performed in November, 1999. He moved from Biloxi to Marietta, Georgia in late 1999. Having put together the elements of a bariatric surgery program with the highest possible standards, Dr. Smith in June, 2002 formed his own practice devoted exclusively to bariatric surgery, in order to better serve the morbidly obese population.

Dr. Smith is one of only a handful of bariatric surgeons that regularly performs all four of these operations completely laparoscopically. He has done well over a thousand bariatric operations, with excellent short and long-term results.

Dr. Smith was the third surgeon in the world to perform the totally Laparoscopic Duodenal Switch procedure, and the first in the world to present the Hand-Sewn Duodenal-Ileal Anastomosis technique for the Duodenal Switch.

Fritz Jean-Pierre, MD

Dr. Fritz Jean-Pierre joined WCBS in February of 2012 and brings training and experience with the latest minimally-invasive bariatric surgery techniques. He also is dedicated to the highest possible safety and quality standards in the performance of weight loss surgery. He believes that educating patients about nutrition, exercise and overall health is extremely important to their success with bariatric surgery.

Dr. Jean-Pierre is originally from Florida, and did his surgical residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago at Mount Sinai. He then did a fellowship in minimally-invasive surgery and began his practice there before moving over to WellStar.

We are very excited to have his bright and energetic personality and his skill and expertise in our program!

Dr. Smith

Sue Wood, RN - Nurse Manager for Bariatric Program

Sue's roles include facilitating three monthly support groups, education of patients and hospital staff, and conducting several monthly information Seminars. She is also involved in patient care and program development.

Tara Jordan - Ofice Manager

Tara handles all of the administrative duties that are necessary to keep our practice going. She will also assist you with any office and billing issues.

Cheryl Forbus, MS, RD, LD - Dietitian

Cheryl has shaped and developed much of the dietary planning for our patients, and takes part in a great deal of the preoperative education of our patients, as well as post-op assistance and participation in support groups.

Dee Hamberg, ST, CPC - Bariatric Coordinator

Dee is involved with many facets of the WellStar Bariatric Surgery Program. She helps guide patients through the initial stages of the process of becoming a patient. She also runs support groups and does a great deal of education for patients both before and after surgery. Dee has been involved with bariatric surgery for almost 15 years.

Ruby - Data Coordinator

Ruby helps us keep track of our patients' weight loss, as well as their reduction in their medical problems. She also helps with support groups and information sessions.

Reggie Morris, LPN - Office Nurse

Reggie will help you into an exam room on your appointment day, weigh you, go through your medications, etc. He also takes phone calls through the day and can answer many questions that patients have about things like their labs, how things are going with their healing or what they should be doing with their vitamins and supplements.

Julia - Surgery Scheduler

Julia helps guide patients through the latter stages of getting ready for surgery by gathering all of your clearances and studies, setting a surgery date, finalizing insurance coverage, arranging appointments for preoperative counseling, etc.

Cindy - Front Office Coordinator

Cindy will greet you when you come into the office, will answer the phone when you call, and will handle scheduling your appointments. She can answer many questions, and if she can't she can help direct you to someone who can.

With a comprehensive bariatric surgery program offering laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch, the Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy, as well as the LAP-BAND^®, our emphasis has always been on safety and quality. We have treated patients from all over the United States, and other countries as well. Our operations are at Kennestone Hospital, part of the WellStar Health System in Marietta, Georgia.

A Word About WellStar Kennestone Hospital

WellStar Kennestone Hospital is consistently ranked as one of the Top 100 Hospitals in the US, and the WellStar Health System, which also includes several other hospitals in the Northwest Atlanta area, is frequently ranked in the highest category of Health Systems nationwide.

Kennestone provides State-Of-The Art care in numerous areas of minimally invasive surgery, including thoracic surgery, laparoscopic gynecologic and uologic surgery, laparoscopic colon and hiatal hernia repair surgery, and others. Several members of the surgical staff at Kennestone, including Dr. Smith, are frequently involved with teaching courses to other surgeons and presenting their techniques and results at national and international meetings. While Dr. Smith is very involved with teaching other bariatric surgeons, Kennestone is not a teaching hospital, and does not utilize Interns or Residents for its surgical care.

Further information on Kennestone Hospital and the WellStar Bariatric Surgery Program can be found on the WellStar Bariatric Surgery Web Page.

More About Dr. Smith

Dr. Smith is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, is Certified by the American Board of Surgery, and is an active member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), in which he serves on the Public Education Committee. In addition, Dr. Smith is a member of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity (IFSO), and the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), where he also serves on the Ethics and Public Education Committees.

Having been a worldwide leader in laparoscopic bariatric techniques, especially with the Duodenal Switch, Dr. Smith continues to be very involved with education and training of other bariatric surgeons in the concepts and techniques of bariatric surgery, particularly with laparoscopic techniques of the BPD with Duodenal Switch, the Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy, and Laparoscopic Suturing Techniques. Dr. Smith often works with surgical technology companies in the development and use of advanced technology in bariatric surgery.

He continues to be a strong advocate for the "program" concept of bariatric surgery, and is highly regarded in the community of bariatric surgeons as a proponent of rigorous adherence to the highest standards of patient care and surgical technique.

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Phone: 770-919-7050
Fax: 770-919-7051
Toll-Free: 1-866-535-0966
or email us at:
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WellStar Comprehensive Bariatric Services
A Certified Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence
Marietta, Georgia, USA