Meet Our New Medical Director: Dr. Denton
Earlier this year, Dr. Denton stepped into his new role as Medical Director of the Sickle Cell Program at Seattle Children’s, carrying with him a story shaped by years of learning, listening, and standing alongside families whose resilience left a permanent mark on him.
He grew up in the Seattle area, but it wasn’t until medical school in Portland that he met his first patient living with sickle cell disease. The moment stayed with him, not just the medical urgency of acute chest syndrome, but the weight of seeing a young Black patient navigate a system that had historically overlooked them. It opened his eyes. But it wasn’t until residency that his path truly shifted.
There, he cared for a young man who seemed to be coping well on the surface, showing little pain despite a serious complication. Only later did Dr. Denton learn that the patient had recently lost both his brother and mother to sickle cell disease. The realization hit hard.
“It taught me that I can’t assume I know someone’s story just because I know their symptoms,” he reflected. “And I can’t expect the system to meet their needs unless I’m willing to help change the system.”
After residency, he trained at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, one of the largest and most experienced sickle cell centers in the country. Surrounded by specialists and caring for patients, he learned the complications, the treatments, the emergencies, and the strength that carries families through every one of them.
When he learned that former program leader Dr. Bender was retiring, he felt the timing was clear.
“This is home,” he said. “And the sickle cell community here deserves a program that grows with them, listens to them, and walks with them.”
Nearly a year later, that vision is taking shape.
The Sickle Cell Program has grown from a small team into a true medical home, bringing together physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers, psychologists, neuropsychologists, care coordinators, and specialists across nutrition, nephrology, pulmonology, and more. Every child is seen annually by the full team, a commitment to making sure nothing goes unnoticed.
But for Dr. Denton, the heart of the work, lives outside the clinic too.
He hopes to create more spaces where families can gather, laugh, rest, and simply see each other, cooking and nutrition classes, and chances for kids and providers to connect beyond hospital walls. With so many families traveling from hours away, he knows community connection isn’t a luxury, it’s essential.
“We want our families to feel that this is their space,” he said. “That they belong to a community that understands them.”
Looking ahead, Dr. Denton is eager to build stronger partnerships both within Seattle and across the region. As he settles into his role, he’s been connecting with community organizations, school partners, and local advocates who walk alongside families every day. Bringing those relationships together, he believes, will help Seattle’s program expand support in ways that matter most, especially in moments when families need it beyond the clinic.
“No one should feel alone in this. Not in the hard moments, not in the good ones. We are here. We’re building this together. And we’re only just beginning.”
