John T. Smith, M.D.
Pediatric Specialist
Dr. John Smith is an accomplished orthopedic surgeon specializing in pediatric spine deformity and fracture care. He has been extensively involved in patient care, innovation, and research related to spine deformity in children. He was a founding member of the Pediatric Spine Study Group (PSSG), now the largest pediatric spine database in the world. He has been involved in the development of new methods and devices to treat complex spine deformities in children. Dr. Smith has held multiple national leadership positions including the Board of Directors of the Scoliosis Research Society and Pediatric Spine Foundation, President of the Pediatric Spine Foundation and Chaired multiple committees within these organizations. He has authored over 140 scientific publications and book chapters. Additionally, he founded the Pediatric Fracture Clinic at Primary Children’s Hospital. His current practice and research continue to focus on pediatric spine deformity and fracture care.
Dr. Smith recently moved his family to Heber City, UT. He and his wife Melissa have 5 children, 3 of whom attend Timpanogos Middle School. His family loves the small-town community and the surrounding mountains. His interests outside of medicine include skiing, tennis, golf, hiking and flying his airplane.
Areas of Expertise
- Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
- Scheuermann’s Kyphosis
- Early Onset Scoliosis
- Congenital Scoliosis/Kyphosis
- Neuromuscular Scoliosis
- Syndromic Scoliosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spine Tumors/Infection
- Disk Herniations
- Spinal Trauma
- Trauma of the upper and lower extremities
Specialty
Physician Locations
Bio
Certifications
- American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
Professional Memberships
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- National Board of Medical Examiners
- Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America
- Scoliosis Research Society
- Western Orthopaedic Association
Education & Training
Fellowship
- Scottish Rite Childrens Medical Center
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Atlanta, GA
Residency
- University of Utah School of Medicine
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Salt Lake City, UT
Internship
- University of Florida - Shands Teaching Hospital
- Internal Medicine
- Gainesville, FL
Undergraduate
- Colorado College
- Biology
- Colorado Springs, CO
Medical School
- University of Florida
- Medicine
- New Orleans, LA
Post Baccalaureate Studies
- Florida State University
- Tallahassee, FL
Journal Articles
- Ahmady A, Rosenthal L, Abraham AC, Parker B, Brooks JT, Cahill PJ, Smith JT, Sponseller PD, Sturm PF, Li Y, Pediatric Spine Study Group (2023). Comparison of Distal Spine Anchors and Distal Pelvic Anchors in Children With Hypotonic Neuromuscular Scoliosis Treated With Growth-friendly Instrumentation.(Epub ahead of print). J Pediatr Orthop.
- Murphy RF, Neel GB, Barfield WR, Anari JB, St Hilaire T, Thompson G, Emans J, Akbarnia B, Smith J, Mooney JF 3rd, Pediatric Spine Study Group. (2022). Trends in the Utilization of Implants in Index Procedures for Early Onset Scoliosis From the Pediatric Spine Study Group.(Epub ahead of print) J Pediatr Orthop, 42(9), 912-916.
- Li Y, Swallow J, Gagnier J, Smith JT, Murphy RF, Sponseller PD, Cahill PJ, Pediatric Spine Study Group. (2022). Pelvic fixation is not always necessary in children with cerebral palsy scoliosis treated with growth-friendly instrumentation. Spine Deform, 10(4), 925-932.
- Ramirez N, Olivella G, Fitzgerald RE, Smith JT, Sturm PF, Sponseller PD, Karlin LI, Luhmann SJ, Torres-Lugo NJ, Hilaire TS, Pediatric Spine Study Group. (2022). Evaluating the Efficacy of Rib-to-pelvis Growth-friendly Surgery for the Treatment of Non-ambulatory Early-Onset Scoliosis Myelomeningocele Patients. J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev, 6(5).
- Guzek RH, Murphy R, Hardesty CK, Emans JB, Garg S, Smith JT, Roye BD, Glotzbecker MP, Sturm PF, Snyder BD, Poon SC, Poe-Kochert C, Anari JB, Pediatric Spine Study Group (PSSG). (2022). Mortality in Early-Onset Scoliosis During the Growth-friendly Surgery Era. J Pediatr Orthop, 42(3), 131-137.
- O’Neill N, Cook D, Verhofste B, Smith J, Pediatric Spine Study Group., Emans JB (2022). Early outcomes of growth friendly instrumentation in children with Williams syndrome. Spine Deform, 10, 717-725.
- Roye BD, Fano AN, Matsumoto H, Fields MW, Emans JB, Sponseller P, Smith JT, Thompson GH, White KK, Vitale MG, Pediatric Spine Study Group. (2021). The Impact of Unplanned Return to the Operating Room on Health-related Quality of Life at the End of Growth-friendly Surgical Treatment for Early-onset Scoliosis. J Pediatr Orthop, 1(42), 17-22.
- Sun MM, Buckler NJ, Al Nouri M, Howard JJ, Vaughan M, St Hilaire T, Sponseller PD, Smith JT, Thompson GH, El-Hawary R, Pediatric Spine Study Group. (2021). No Difference in the Rates of Unplanned Return to the Operating Room Between Magnetically Controlled Growing Rods and Traditional Growth Friendly Surgery for Children With Cerebral Palsy. J Pediatr Orthop, 1(42(2)), 100-108.
- Magee L, Bram JT, Anari JB, Ramo B, Mayer OH, Matsumoto H, Brooks JT, Andras L, Lark R, Fitzgerald R, Truong W, Li Y, Karlin L, Schwend R, Weinstein S, Roye D, Snyder B, Flynn JM, Oetgen M, Smith J, Cahill PJ, PSSG. (2021). Outcomes and Complications in Management of Congenital Myopathy Early-Onset Scoliosis. J Pediatr Orthop, 41(9), 531-536.
- Compton E, Gupta P, Gomez JA, Illingworth KD, Skaggs DL, Sponseller PD, Samdani AF, Hwang SW, Oetgen ME, Schottler J, Thompson GH, Vitale MG, Smith JT, Pediatric Spine Study Group., Andras LM (2021). How low can you go? Implant density in posterior spinal fusion converted from growing constructs for early onset scoliosis. Spine Deform, 9(5), 1479-1488.
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Book Chapters
- 1- Fedorak GT, Heflin JA, Smith JT (April 2018). The Use of the Vertical Expandable Prosthetic Titanium Rib (VEPTR) in Myelomeningocele. In Ron El-Hawary, Craig P. Everson (Eds.), Early Onset Scoliosis: A Clinical Casebook (pp. 221-230). New York City: Springer.
- 2- Smith JT, Dubousset J (Nov 2010). Management of Spinal Disorders in Young Children. In Akbarnia BA, Yazici M, Thompson GH (Eds.), The Growing Spine (pp. 87-96). New York: Springer.
- 3- Smith JT (2008). Costotransversectomy. In Tolo VT; Skaggs DL (Eds.), Master Techniques in Orthopaedic Surgery; Pediatrics (pp. 419-426). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
- 4- Campbell RM, Smith JT, Flynn JM (01/01/2008). Treatment of Thoracic Insufficiency Syndrome Associated with Exotic Scoliosis with VEPTR Expansion Thoracoplasty. In Birgitta Brandenburg (Ed.), Surgery of the Pediatric Spine (pp. 798-809). New York: Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
- 5- Smith JT (2004). Spinal Deformities in Children and Adolescents. In Osborn, DeWitt, First & Zenel (Eds.), Pediatrics (pp. 378-387). Philadelphia: Osborn, Dewitt, First and Zenel.
- 6- Smith JT (2002). Orthopedic Problems. In Rudolphs Fundamentals of Pediatrics, 3rd Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill.
- 7- Brockmeyer D, Smith JT (2001). Congenital Vertebral Anomalies. In Pediatric Neurosurgery, 4th Edition (pp. 428-440). Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Company.
- 8- Smith JT (1998). Orthopedic Problems. In Rudolphs Fundamentals of Pediatrics 2nd Edition (pp. 727-740). Stamford, Conneticut: Appleton and Lange.
- 9- Smith JT, Yandow SM (1996). Benign Soft-Tissue Lesions in Children. In Scarborough M, Heinrich S (Eds.), Pediatric Orthopedic Oncology (pp. 645-654). Orthopedic Clinics of North America.
- 10- Armstrong PF, Smith JT (1994). Initial Management of the Multiply Injured Child. In Mangament of Pediatric Fractures (pp. 27-36). New York, New York: Churchill Livingstone Inc.
- 11- Smith JT (1994). Advances in Pediatric Orthopaedics. In Technology in the 90’s. Surgical Technology International Developments and Surgical Research. London: Century Press Limited London.
- 12- Smith JT (1994). Orthopedic Problems in Children. In Rudolphs Fundamentals of Pediatrics (pp. 661-671). Norwalk, Conneticut: Appleton and Lange.
- 13- Dunn HK, Smith JT, Coleman SS (1984). Pelvic Osteotomy: An alternative to total hip replacement in the young adult. In The Hip: Proceedings of the Twelfth Open Scientific Meeting of The Hip Society (pp. 1-13). St. Louis: C.V. Mosby Company.
