Ilter Denizoglu
Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlter Denizoglu, MD1, PhD2, MSc3
1Otorhinolaryngology, 2 Biophysics, 3 Audiology & Speech Pathology
Vocology Centre (Founder & Director)
University Lecturer of Clinical Vocology in Tinaztepe University Faculty of Health Sciences, Speech Language Therapy Division
University Lecturer of Pedagogical Vocology in Dokuz Eylül University State Conservatory Vocal Arts Department, Main Art Division of Opera
After studying medicine at Ege University Faculty of Medicine and completing otolaryngology-head and neck surgery training at the Otolaryngology Department of Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Denizoglu decided to pursue a career in phoniatrics. His interest began with the fundamental physics of voice; he then studied vocal pedagogy at the conservatory of music. He completed a PhD in Biophysics and an MSc in Audiology & Speech Pathology. He has participated in several ongoing and published clinical studies and laboratory research. His passion for gaining a comprehensive understanding of the human voice across basic, clinical, and pedagogical vocology continues.
Dr. Denizoglu actively participates in several associations in the field of human voice, including the Union of European Phoniatricians (UEP), Collegium Medicorum Theatri (CoMeT), and the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP). In addition to his invited lectures worldwide, he conducts training workshops in various countries on voice therapy, singing voice therapy, and phonosurgery.
He is an amateur singer with an interest in vocal music from multiple perspectives, including singing pedagogy and musical acoustics. He has prepared the curriculum for Pedagogical Vocology lessons and has been delivering lectures at Dokuz Eylul University's Faculty of Stage Arts, Opera Division, since 2009. He has also developed the Clinical Vocology curriculum and teaches in the Speech-Language Therapy Division of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Tınaztepe University in Izmir, as well as in the Phoniatrics master's training program at Lokman Hekim University, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Ankara. He gives invited lectures at training programs and congresses worldwide. He has conducted his certifying training programs in pedagogical and clinical vocology (2-4 days) in more than 20 countries.
His medical practice focuses exclusively on phonosurgery, voice therapy, and singing voice therapy. He has developed new devices for voice therapy and vocal training. Based on Sihvo’s LaxVox Tube Exercise, he developed the DoctorVox Voice Therapy and Vocal Training Method (DVT) and holds patents for the tools used in DoctorVox therapy. He has also developed techniques such as mini-microsuture and posterior glottoplasty, as well as surgical instruments for phonosurgery. His book, 'Textbook of Clinical Vocology,' was published in 2020.
Sessions
Description This session provides a practical roadmap for transforming a clinical idea into a marketable medical device. We will navigate the critical pathway from initial concept and prototyping to intellectual property, regulatory approval (FDA/CE), and commercialization strategies.
Outcome Objectives Participants will be able to:
Outline the key stages of the medical device development lifecycle.
Identify critical regulatory and intellectual property considerations.
Describe strategies for funding and commercializing a new device.
Background Many groundbreaking medical ideas fail not due to clinical merit, but due to the complexities of the development and regulatory process. This guide provides the essential business and legal framework needed to successfully bring innovation to patients.
Rationale and objectives: in recent years, the human voice has emerged as more than a medium of communication—it has become a powerful marker of physiological and psychological states. Advances in signal processing, artificial intelligence, and biomedical acoustics have attracted growing attention from diverse disciplines. In this panel, however, we will focus on the medical dimension—where clinicians and medical researchers analyze voice patterns as potential biomarkers reflecting health and disease, including neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, respiratory, and psychiatric conditions.
therefore, i propose that the scientific board of IFOS consider organizing a panel discussion that brings together international experts—physicians and technical specialists—who have practical experience in applying voice analysis to medical issues.
key themes:
voice as a biomarker: physiological and pathological correlates of vocal features essential for neurological, psychiatric, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and otorhinolaryngological (particularly snoring & obstructive sleep apnea) diseases and pain management
AI and digital voice analysis: novel diagnostic and predictive tools in clinics and remote patient monitoring
educational perspectives: integrating voice-based analytics into medical training and patient monitoring
ethical and practical challenges: data privacy, standardization, and clinical validation
expected outcomes: the session will stimulate dialogue among clinicians, researchers, and innovators about integrating voice-based tools into everyday medical practice. By highlighting cross-disciplinary collaborations, it will encourage new research directions and educational frameworks that position the human voice as a central biomarker in 21st-century medicine.
suggested format: panel discussion with contributions from 3–4 experts, including both physicians and technical specialists, on the topics outlined above.
Mother Nature's main rule, ‘Form follows function,’ is the central theme of voice therapy. Applied biomechanics underlies the outcomes of behavioral treatment for voice disorders.
Voice habilitation and rehabilitation require a multidimensional approach. Voice therapy, including habilitation and rehabilitation, requires more than applying a specific therapeutic technique; it involves integrating scientific evidence, clinical expertise, and each patient's individual needs. Successful voice (re)habilitation depends on appropriate patient selection, understanding the underlying phonatory mechanism, and tailoring therapeutic strategies to individual responses and functional voice demands.
In this sense, voice disorders must not be regarded solely as local laryngeal problems. However, vocal fold function and healing are influenced by a complex interaction of genetic susceptibility, inflammation, allergy, reflux, sleep, stress, nutrition, environmental exposures, tissue repair mechanisms, and cellular mechanotransduction.
Professional voice users require particular attention. Occupational voice (re)habilitation can be viewed as a progression from sensory-motor recalibration and efficient phonation to vocal conditioning, job-specific transfer, and self-management. This provides not only habilitative outcomes but also self-controlled sustainability for voice-demanding occupations.
In this panel, we will also discuss various voice therapy methods for practical clinical application.
This is a panel presentation for assessment, office-based and endolaryngeal approach for unilateral vocal fold immobilty
The role of the smartphones in modern voice evaluation and analysis
Patent application and practise in the medical area
This session provides a comprehensive guide to the pathway of training and certification in otorhinolaryngology (ORL). It will cover curriculum standards, surgical competency requirements, and the examination processes for both the turkish national board and the european board of ORL-HNS (EBEORL).
outcome objectives participants will be able to:
outline the key milestones in ORL residency training.
compare the requirements for national and european board certification.
develop a strategic approach for successful examination preparation and lifelong learning.
background standardized training and a robust certification process are fundamental to ensuring high standards of patient care and safety in ORL. Achieving board certification validates a specialist's expertise and is a critical step for professional recognition and career advancement.
Three major issues in Laryngological practice will be discussed specifically in this session:
Pediatric voice disorders from the perspective of rare diseases
This presentation will explore pediatric voice disorders through the lens of rare diseases, highlighting the diagnostic challenges posed by uncommon congenital, genetic, neuromuscular, and systemic conditions affecting the pediatric larynx. Emphasis will be placed on recognizing key clinical clues, selecting appropriate diagnostic pathways, and adopting a multidisciplinary, individualized approach to management in these challenging cases.
Management of sulcus vocalis
Sulcus vocalis is a challenging structural vocal fold lesion that may cause persistent dysphonia and impaired vocal efficiency. Successful management requires accurate diagnosis and individualized treatment planning. Contemporary therapeutic strategies, including voice therapy, phonosurgical techniques, and combined approaches, will be discussed. Indications, surgical principles, expected outcomes, limitations, and the role of postoperative rehabilitation will be reviewed, emphasizing patient-specific decision-making.
Management of bilateral vocal fold paralysis: A microlaryngeal biomechanical approach
Treatment choice for bilateral vocal fold paralysis remains a debate, including altered airway (tracheostomy), glottic mass reduction (lateralization, posterior cordotomy, etc.), and neurofunctional approaches (neural reinnervation, implantation, electrostimulation). Posterior glottoplasty provides a muscular vector approach. It aims to keep the membranous folds intact and create a posterior glottic space to improve breathing and phonation.