A driving force to help patients breathe easier led Dr. Sean McWilliams to establish Mid Bay ENT in Niceville, marking a new chapter in his 21-year career serving patients across Northwest Florida.

• The practice, which opened in February 2024, aims to expand access to specialized ear, nose and throat care through comprehensive services involving all ENT disorders, including same-day appointments and a full-service allergy clinic. 

The ENT center represents a significant addition to healthcare options in the Niceville area, where previously no ENT specialists were based.

McWilliams’ journey into otolaryngology began at age 16 when his grandfather’s extended hospital stay sparked his interest in medicine. Later, as a pre-med student, his own experience with sinus surgery solidified his specialty choice.

• “I liked the ENT doctor. He knew I was pre-med, so he went over everything with me in very good detail,” McWilliams said. “It actually changed my life because I’ve never had any sinus problems since I had the surgery done. It made me motivated to do that for others.”

After graduating from Tulane University School of Medicine in 1999 and completing his residency at the University of Alabama-Birmingham in 2004, McWilliams chose Florida’s Emerald Coast to establish his practice. His training at UAB, which he describes as “an excellent ENT training program with very high volume,” provided the foundation for his comprehensive approach to patient care.

Mid Bay ENT’s central location near the Mid Bay Bridge on Highway 20 serves patients from Florala to Panama City and from Fort Walton Beach to Santa Rosa Beach and 30A. The strategic location makes specialized care more accessible to residents throughout the region.

COMPREHENSIVE CARE APPROACH

Dr. McWilliams specializes in treating chronic sinusitis, nasal polyps, and nasal airway obstruction, but McWilliams emphasizes the importance of long-term care relationships with patients.

“I’m focused on being a sinus specialist,” McWilliams said. “We’re going to comprehensively manage this and I’m going to be by your side long-term. This isn’t something where you come in, I operate on you and we see you later. If there is a systemic or environmental component to this, we’re going to be walking side by side to continue the benefits you get from surgery so that you continue to feel well.”

To expand patient access, McWilliams brought on Clara McNamara, a comprehensively trained and experienced ENT physician assistant. McNamara, who led her class as president at West Chester University of Pennsylvania’s inaugural PA program, completed specific training in otolaryngology and developed a master’s project focused on managing patients with hearing loss prior to joining an ENT practice in Maryland.

• “Clara came here as a comprehensively trained and experienced ENT physician assistant,” McWilliams said. “The ENTs that trained her at her previous practice were over the moon complimentary about her and let me know the breadth of the training that she had and how capable she is at managing all ENT disorders.”

ADVANCED PROCEDURES AND TECHNOLOGY

The practice emphasizes minimally invasive procedures using advanced techniques. McWilliams performs functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) with computer-aided navigation, which helps minimize risks when operating near critical areas like the brain and eyes.

• “Using computer aided navigation during surgery is something that’s very helpful, and I do that in every surgery,” McWilliams explained. “I’m able to comprehensively treat the patient’s disease while minimizing the risk of complications.”

The practice also offers advanced procedures including RhinAer and VivAer, radio frequency ablation treatments for chronic rhinorrhea and nasal airway obstruction. Additional services include Propel implants, which help prevent recurrent polyps, reduce inflammation, and maintain sinus patency as well as balloon sinuplasty which is used to manage a milder degree of sinus disease.

CHANGING PERCEPTIONS OF ENT SURGERY

McWilliams works to address common fears about ENT procedures, particularly sinus surgery. 

“Patients are very scared initially of having sinus surgery or sinus procedures done,” he said. “I see patients back every day that I operated on the week or weeks prior that tell me over and over again, ‘I can’t believe it. I really didn’t have any pain.'”

The impact of successful treatment can be life-changing. McWilliams regularly witnesses transformative outcomes in his patients’ lives, including improving their sense of smell. He recalled one particularly moving case where a patient who had been terrified of having surgery discovered a whole new sensory connection with her family. 

• “There’s a testimonial online from a patient who had never smelled her child before. ‘My child’s five years old,’ and this is a woman that was really terrified to have the surgery because she had heard how awful it was.”

The improvements extend beyond family connections to everyday experiences. “It is an every day experience for patients to tell me that they had no idea what it is like to be able to breathe through their nose until they had surgery.  Patients emphasize how much this improves their quality of life in all ways including be able to sleep without mouth breathing as well as having improved ability to enjoy aerobic exercises such as running and biking.”

These successes are particularly meaningful because patients often suffer with these conditions for many years before seeking treatment, worried about the surgical process, according to McWilliams.

COMPREHENSIVE ALLERGY SERVICES

The practice’s full-service allergy clinic offers testing for food and environmental allergens, along with multiple treatment options. These include subcutaneous immunotherapy (allergy shots), sublingual immunotherapy (allergy drops), and oral mucosal immunotherapy delivered through toothpaste.

“There are not many allergists in our area,” McWilliams noted. “Being in the new practice, I am able to offer a full-service allergy clinic, which I think is a big benefit because most of the patients need a systemic approach to the whole problem.”

EXPANDED ACCESS TO CARE

Through McNamara’s addition, the practice now handles all ENT conditions including but not limited to hearing loss, tinnitus, chronic hoarseness, neck masses, thyroid issues, and vertigo. While referrals are required for McWilliams’ sinus cases, patients can schedule directly with McNamara for all ENT conditions.

• The practice accepts all TRICARE and VA insurances, serving the region’s significant military and veteran population. 

“Anybody that is a veteran or active duty or retired, we’re going to be able to take care of them and their families,” McWilliams said.

RECOGNITION AND FUTURE GOALS

McWilliams’ commitment to patient care has earned him recognition as a “Five Star” healthcare provider by Professional Research Consultants for seven years between 2016 and 2023, placing him in the top 10% nationally based on patient surveys. In 2018, he ranked in the 99th percentile compared to other physicians nationwide. He was also recognized as a Top 5 Specialty Care Provider for 2021, 2022 and 2023.

The practice maintains continuity through its experienced staff, many of whom have been integral to McWilliams’ practice for decades. His office manager has worked alongside him for 20 years, contributing to the stable, patient-focused environment that characterizes Mid Bay ENT.

• “My entire team stayed intact,” McWilliams said regarding the move. “The same patient-facing people in the practice are still with us.”

Looking ahead to 2025, McWilliams focuses on spreading awareness about their comprehensive services.

“The goal is to let everybody know that we’re here, we’re ready, we’re available,” McWilliams said. “We’re going to continue to provide the same quality care that you’ve been getting for the past 20 years with me, but now we’re going to be able to expand that and see all conditions and also manage allergy needs.”

Mid Bay ENT is located at 4566 US Highway 20 East, Suite 100 in Niceville. While referrals are required for sinus cases with Dr. McWilliams, patients can schedule appointments directly with McNamara for all ENT conditions. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 850-622-5148.