Memorial Health welcomes two esteemed cardiovascular surgeons to the Heart & Vascular Institute
Savannah, GA — Memorial Health is proud to announce the addition of two highly accomplished cardiovascular surgeons to its Heart & Vascular Institute. Dr. Roberto Rodriguez and Dr. David Dean will join the organization’s renowned heart surgery program, further advancing its commitment to exceptional cardiac care.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Rodriguez and Dr. Dean to our heart care team,” said Brad Talbert, CEO of Memorial Health. “Both are exceptional surgeons with impressive credentials and a proven track record of leadership and innovation. Their expertise will build on Memorial Health’s rich tradition of excellence in heart care.”
Dr. Roberto Rodriguez will serve as the Director of Memorial Health’s Cardiac Surgery Program, while Dr. David Dean will lead programs for heart failure, ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), and LVAD (left ventricular assist devices).
Dr. Roberto Rodriguez
Dr. Rodriguez brings extensive experience in minimally invasive cardiac surgery, endovascular procedures, education, and research to his new role. Before joining Memorial Health, he practiced at Main Line Health in Philadelphia, where he served as the Surgical Director for Structural Heart Programs across the health system’s four hospitals. He also led the Heart Valve Clinic at Lankenau Heart Institute at Lankenau Medical Center.
In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Rodriguez has a distinguished background in medical education. He began as a surgery instructor at Harvard Medical School’s Beth Israel Medical Center and later held academic appointments at Tufts University School of Medicine and Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. In 2019, he was promoted to Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University.
Dr. Rodriguez continues to contribute to cutting-edge cardiac research, participating in national clinical trials focused on mitral, aortic, and tricuspid valve interventions. He also serves as a clinical events committee consultant for the Baim Institute for Clinical Research (formerly Harvard Clinical Research Institute) and the Yale Cardiovascular Research Group.
Dr. Rodriguez is board-certified by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and is a Fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the American College of Cardiology.
Educational background
Dr. Rodriguez earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from The George Washington University and a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. Before attending medical school, he worked as a biomedical engineer at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
He earned his Doctor of Medicine from Tufts University School of Medicine and completed his general surgery residency at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He further specialized with a cardiothoracic surgery residency and an endovascular fellowship at Harvard Medical School’s Beth Israel Medical Center. Additionally, he completed advanced cardiac surgery training during a senior residency at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Rodriguez will officially join Memorial Health in April 2025, bringing his expertise and leadership to elevate cardiac surgery and patient care at Memorial Health.
David Dean, MD
Dr. Dean most recently practiced with West Alabama Cardiac Surgery at DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, AL. Prior to that, he practiced at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, GA, where he held several important leadership roles at the Piedmont Heart Institute, serving as chief of the Heart Failure Center of Excellence and program director for the Mechanical Circulatory Support and Heart Transplantation program. He also served as medical director for Piedmont Hospital’s cardiothoracic intensive care unit. During his career, he has also practiced at hospitals in Pennsylvania, Missouri and New Hampshire.
Throughout his career, Dr. Dean has been active in graduate medical education and research. He served as an assistant professor of surgery at Drexel University College of Medicine and University of Missouri – Columbia and also taught residents at Dartmouth Medical School. He also served as director of cardiovascular surgical research at Allegheny General Hospital, a regional medical campus for Drexel University College of Medicine.
Dr. Dean is board certified by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery. He is a member of the American College of Surgeons, Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation.
Educational background
Dr. Dean completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Colgate University and earned his Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center. He completed his surgery residency at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and his cardiovascular surgery residency at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill. He also completed post-doctorate research training in the cardiovascular laboratories at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Dr. Dean joined Memorial Health in December 2024.
Drs. Rodriguez and Dean will work alongside established cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Glenn Carlos at Memorial Health University Physicians - Heart & Lung Surgical Care, providing patients with advanced surgical options to treat heart and lung conditions, including chest wall cancer and heart failure.
Memorial Health has been a leader in heart care since 1967 when cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Thomas Yeh performed the 1st open heart surgery in Savannah. He recruited Savannah’s first board-certified cardiologist, Dr. Walker Beeson, who established Memorial’s cardiac catheterization lab and performed the first balloon angioplasty in Savannah in 1981. Over the years, Memorial Health has been responsible for numerous advancements in heart care in our region.