Restoring Hope, Restoring Confidence
Premier Surgical’s Dr. David Lo finds joy and purpose in his work helping Knoxville patients
Detailed. Compassionate. Without compromise. These are what drive plastic surgeon, Dr. David Lo of Premier Surgical Plastic Surgery, Knoxville father of two, to strive to give his best to his patients, both reconstructive and cosmetic.
“I hear this time and time again from our patients: ‘He’s compassionate. He listened to what I asked and to what I had in mind. He understood what I wanted and took the time to answer all my questions,’” says practice manager and patient coordinator, Lacy Lotter, R.N., who has worked alongside Dr. Lo for the past three years. Patient results are predicated on the techniques, skill, training, experience, and judgment of the surgeon you choose. Lotter explains that not only does Dr. Lo’s understanding and relaxed demeanor put patients at ease, and his experience and confidence help deliver consistently beautiful and natural results for even the most challenging of cases.
Dr. Lo started life in Taiwan. His family moved to Douglasville, Georgia, when he was 9. He grew up playing basketball and football and ran track, but his main focus was academics. All along, he knew he wanted to be a physician. And while he originally thought he might want to be a pediatrician, coursework in medical school led him to realize that he was best suited for a career in surgery.
“I thought the surgery mentality fit me better,” he says. And through this, he realized just what kind of impact he could have on those who were turning to surgery because of a serious illness, physical imperfection, or trauma. The impact on the individual can be profound, Dr. Lo says. “I saw that I could help breast cancer patients recover what they had lost. That led me down the plastic and reconstructive surgery path.”
Dr. Lo earned his degree in medicine from Tuft University School of Medicine in Boston. He returned to North Carolina to complete his general surgery residency at Duke University, his alma mater, and finally, completed his plastic and reconstructive surgery residency at Emory University in Atlanta. He later moved to Knoxville with his wife, Jenny.
While he spends roughly 60 percent of his time working with breast cancer patients, Dr. Lo has a blossoming cosmetic practice that focuses on the breast and body.
“Men and women alike want to improve their body image and address changes that have occurred,” he says. “They want to feel better about themselves in certain areas. We provide services from breast augmentation and lift, gynecomastia surgery, and breast reduction, to full body contouring and ‘mommy make-overs’.
“We try to make people happy and put a smile on their face,” he says, “or at least give them a sense of relief. I really enjoy what I do. There’s a lot of joy in what we do here.”
In addition to his commitment to exceeding patient expectations, Dr. Lo is also focused on giving back to the community in other ways. He has served on many community boards; he currently sits on the board of East Tennessee Cancer Support Community. He is a clinical educator and preceptor for Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine. In addition, he serves as the Vice-Chair of Surgery at Tennova Healthcare System as well as a committee member on the Physician Peer Review Committee.
