With a focus on providing the latest hearing technology and products that address various hearing loss concerns, Doss Audiology & Hearing Center is the go-to destination for anyone in need of a comprehensive hearing evaluation.

Doss Audiology owner Dr. Phallon Doss said a science-based approach is crucial to its treatment plans and involves conducting thorough hearing evaluations to ensure effective care is delivered to patients.

"It is not just about hearing beeps in a quiet room. We want to see how well [patients] repeat words, how well they perform in a noisy environment. As a result, we offer specialized speech and noise testing as well as speech testing,” Dr. Doss said. “We conduct a very comprehensive hearing evaluation to determine thresholds for comfort, so our patients often come in saying, 'This is the best hearing test I've ever had.' In detail, we walk through the hearing test results, explaining to patients what parts of the speech spectrum they have difficulty with and how we can develop a plan to enhance their access to those sounds."

Better Hearing & Speech Month occurs annually in May, presenting an opportunity to raise awareness about communication disorders and the indispensable role that medical professionals such as Dr. Doss play in providing life-changing treatments.

“During the month of May, hearing professionals recommend everyone get at least a baseline hearing evaluation or their annual hearing check,” Dr. Doss said.

Dr. Doss said two types of providers work with hearing aids: Doctors of Audiology and hearing aid dispensers. Doctors of Audiology are health care professionals who diagnose and treat hearing loss in both pediatric and adult patients. They require a doctorate in audiology, which includes extensive education on neurology, hearing sciences, psychology, ear anatomy and acoustics of the ears. On the other hand, hearing aid dispensers obtain on-the-job training in hearing aids and the minimum degree requirement is a high school diploma.

"The approach to treating hearing loss is quite different. Additionally, hearing aid dispensers do not work with children since they do not have special training in pediatric audiology,” Dr. Doss said.” Sometimes having two types of providers that work with people with hearing loss can cause some confusion. Therefore, consumers or prospective-patients should be aware of the differences in quality and training between providers."

Doss Audiology serves patients of all ages, from newborns to geriatrics. For newborns, the clinic typically conducts an initial hearing screening to detect any responses to sounds from the baby's inner-ear.

Specialized equipment allows the clinic to test the baby's ears across multiple pitches while they are asleep to ensure their ears are properly responding to sound. This helps the clinic promptly identify if a child has hearing loss and requires further treatment and intervention.

“If a child is unable to hear well, he or she is likely to develop speech and language delays,” Dr. Doss said. “We have specialized equipment just for kids where we basically train them to look at some videos on a screen in response to sound, and then gradually drop the sound until they reach their thresholds of minimal response. In this way, we can identify how young children hear in a fun way. Working with kids requires a lot of specialized training, which is why it falls under a Doctor of Audiology's scope of practice.”

By offering the latest hearing technology and products, Doss Audiology's team guides patients in selecting the best solution for hearing loss concerns, and assists throughout the entire process of acquiring a hearing aid or device.

"If you are prescribed hearing aids, we will conduct a specialized test called a real-ear measurement in which we place a microphone in your ear canal and play a special signal through our speakers,” Dr. Doss said. “Our objective measurement of the sound we prescribe for patients allows us to determine exactly how much amplification is being received across different pitches in their ears, rather than asking them subjectively how much amplification they are receiving across different pitches. Usually, these kinds of things aren't conducted outside of a doctor of audiology's office."

Dr. Doss noted that hearing aid technology has progressed significantly over the years, highlighting the improved miniaturization and cosmetic appearance of the devices. The newest generation of rechargeable hearing aids can last up to 50 hours on a charge. They can also connect to a phone for hands-free phone calls, Netflix streaming and more. Using their phones, patients can also change their volume and customize the sound and environment to suit their needs.

“By restoring hearing, the technology not only improves sound quality, but also quality of life for a patient. Modern advancements also make wearing a hearing aid more convenient than ever, and people want to wear their hearing aids because it's integrated into their lifestyle,” Dr. Doss said. “A common complaint for hearing aids patients is that they miss phone calls because they can't hear the phone ringing.

As your hearing aid is connected to your phone, it also rings through the hearing aid. Even if you do not have your phone in front of you, you can hear your phone ring, press a button on the back of your hearing aid and answer the call."

From hearing evaluations to hearing aid fittings, Doss Audiology's staff is dedicated to providing exceptional customer service.

“While we are very busy, our patients will receive the utmost attention and care from us. As May is Better Hearing and Speech Month, we would like to encourage the community to be aware of their hearing and noise exposure,” Dr. Doss said. “We want to educate our patients about the quality of care available in the area so they will make informed decisions based on quality, education and reputation in their community when dealing with hearing loss."

To learn more about Doss Audiology, visit their website or call 210-819-5002 for more information.

The above story was produced by Holly Galvan with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team. Our integrity promise to our readers is to clearly identify all CI Storytelling posts so they are separate from the content decided upon, researched and written by our journalism department.