our services

ear, nose, & throat – head & neck surgery

When looking for quality healthcare, North Florida Center for Otolaryngology is the group you can depend on. Since 1990, we have offered otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat), head and neck surgery services to this growing community. When surgery is required, we use state-of-the-art procedures. We are committed to providing leading edge health care to our patients resulting in excellent service and improve overall patient health.

Dr. Taliaferro, Miller, and Leake are highly trained, board certified otolaryngologists with expertise in nasal and sinus disorders, voice disorders, snoring, sleep apnea, hearing, facial skin care, and facial plastic surgery – cosmetic and reconstructive.

ear

mouth

neck & throat

nose

cancer

offering a wide range of

ent services

Thyroid Problems
Sleep Apnea
Sinus Treatments
Hearing Testing
Hearing Aids
Skin Cancer
Head and Neck Cancer
Treatment of Throat Problems

The staff was fabulous and courteous. The doctor listened to me and helped immensely. He was kind and gentle with my procedure.

All Staff members were very polite and assertive. The office was a great environment. And the doctor addressed all my issues and went beyond to help further.

Most efficient doctor’s office visit I’ve ever had! Pleasant and professional!

Very pleasant office to visit with a high degree of professionalism. All of my questions and concerns were addressed and thoroughly answered.

My husband was so impressed with the professionalism, courtesy and care he received. North FL Center for Otolaryngology is the BEST!

I have been coming to this practice for years. This is a shout out to the doctors and all the staff. Thank you for always taking care of my family.

Very friendly and “efficient” from reception to discharge. Could not have a better experience!

The entire team was very professional.

hearing & balance center

Our goal at North Florida Hearing and Balance is to help gain an improved quality of life, starting with hearing amplification.

Our practice is different from an audiology practice designed to sell hearing aids. While we do offer the widest possible variety of hearing aids and other amplification devices, our medical professionals will never use the high pressure sales pitches utilized by standard hearing aid sales offices. If hearing amplification is not appropriate for you, we will tell you and refer you to one of our physicians for further evaluation. In fact, some hearing loss can be the result of an underlying disease including cancer. This can be detected by the professional audiologic testing offered by our practice.

mohs micrographic surgery

Mohs, or Mohs Micrographic Surgery, is a highly effective technique for removing certain types of skin cancer, or skin cancers that are located in cosmetically or functionally high risk areas of the body. The surgeon removes the lesion, then immediately looks at it under a microscope to make sure it has been completely removed. If any of the cancer remains, the process is repeated until the lesion is totally removed. Each time the surgeon removes tissue is called a ‘stage’. This technique was created by surgeon Frederic Mohs in 1938, and is widely considered to be the most effective way to remove certain skin cancers. The Mohs process preserves as much of the healthy tissue as possible, while ensuring complete removal of the lesion.

Dr. Taliaferro is a board-certified Otolaryngologist who specializes in Mohs surgery. He is trained to perform Mohs procedures independently, which means he will complete the excision, the pathological examination of the lesion, and the reconstruction himself. He also works as a team with Dr. Leake for Mohs procedures. In those cases, Dr. Taliaferro will perform the excision and the pathological examination of the tissue, and Dr. Leake will complete the closure, or skin cancer reconstruction. Dr. Leake is double board certified in both Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery. The entire procedure will be completed at one location; you will not have to go to two separate offices for the procedure, then the reconstruction.

It is important that you stop taking any over-the-counter medications or dietary supplements that act as a blood thinner, such as NSAIDs, aspirin, flaxseed oil, fish oil and vitamin E, approximately one week to 10 days prior to your procedure. Speak with your physician before making any changes to your medications. If you are prescribed a blood thinner by your physician, you must call their office to ask if and when you can stop taking it. Do not stop taking your prescription medications unless directed to do so by your physician.

Mohs procedures can be lengthy in some cases, so you may want to bring a light snack and a good book. It can be chilly in the procedure room, so you may want to dress in layers or bring a light sweater. We want you to be comfortable during your procedure and we will make every effort to meet or exceed your expectations.

Mohs procedures are performed at our North Florida Center for Otolaryngology location across from Flager Hospital at

3 San Bartola Dr.,
St. Augustine, FL 32086