This page compares two distinct NUCC-taxonomy specialties tracked by the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System: Otolaryngology Physician, which currently counts 10,893 enrolled providers across 54 U.S. states and territories, and Plastic Surgery within the Head & Neck (Otolaryngology) Physician, with 608 providers across 48 states. Each clinician on these rosters selected a primary NUCC code at NPI enrollment, so the totals measure how many providers self-identify their primary practice as Otolaryngology Physician or Plastic Surgery within the Head & Neck (Otolaryngology) Physician rather than the total population ever trained or credentialed in either field — dual-certified clinicians show up under whichever code they registered first.

On national volume, Otolaryngology Physician carries the larger provider roster (10,893 vs 608), and Otolaryngology Physician has the wider geographic footprint at 54 states versus 48. The top Otolaryngology Physician concentration sits in California (1,204 providers), while Plastic Surgery within the Head & Neck (Otolaryngology) Physician peaks in California (139). The per-capita columns in the table below normalize each state's raw count against 2023 Census population estimates, which matters because absolute provider counts track population scale first and specialty density second — a small state with a strong training pipeline can out-rank a larger state on per-100K availability.

Use this comparison to understand relative availability, not to judge clinical substitutability — Otolaryngology Physician and Plastic Surgery within the Head & Neck (Otolaryngology) Physician are distinct specialties with different scopes of practice, training requirements, and conditions they treat, even when their NUCC categories overlap. Important: PlainDoctor is a directory of publicly available CMS government data, not medical advice, a provider rating, or a recommendation about which specialty a patient should consult. Always work with a licensed clinician to determine which specialty is appropriate for your condition, verify any specific provider through the NPPES NPI Registry and the relevant state medical board, and consult the NUCC taxonomy documentation for the formal scope-of-practice definitions behind each specialty code.