
Languages Spoken: English
Gretchen Oakley, MD, specializes in Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery. Her clinical practice focuses on nasal and sinus diseases, including acute and chronic sinusitis, polyps, nasal and sinus tumors, cerebrospinal fluid leaks, endoscopic orbital surgery, nasal obstruction, and allergy. She works with a large multidisciplinary team that includes neurosurgeons, ophthalmologists, head and neck cancer surgeons, neuroradiologists, and head and neck pathologists to provide comprehensive care to patients and ensure optimal treatment outcomes.
Outside of her clinical work, she is also involved in Rhinology clinical research and has published several journal articles and book chapters in the field. Her research interests include cerebrospinal fluid leak diagnosis and management, genetic, biologic, and environmental factors in chronic sinusitis, and treatment outcomes of chronic sinusitis. In addition, she serves as the Medical Student Director for Otolaryngology.
Dr. Oakley received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and her medical degree from Saint Louis University School of Medicine. She then completed her Otolaryngology residency at the University of Utah, followed by an international fellowship in Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery in Sydney, Australia.
She is currently seeing patients at University of Utah Hospital and South Jordan Health Center.
Clinical Locations
801-581-7515
Otolaryngology/ENT, Area E
801-587-8368
Board Certification and Academic Information
Academic Departments | Surgery
-
Assistant Professor (Clinical) |
Academic Divisions | Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery |
Board Certification | American Board of Otolaryngology |
Patient Rating
The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey.
Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.
Likelihood of recommending care provider
4.7/ 5

Care provider's explanation of condition/problem
4.7/ 5

Care provider's effort to include me in decisions
4.7/ 5

Wait time at clinic
4.3/ 5

Care provider's concern for questions & worries
4.8/ 5

Patient Comments
Patient comments are gathered from our Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survery and displayed in their entirety. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.
UofU Patient
November 23, 2020
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
Dr. Oakley conveyed confidence and compassion. She spent the time I needed to discuss surgical options, risks and recovery. I would highly recommend her to others!
UofU Patient
November 08, 2020
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
If you are struggling with a difficult medical problem, this is the place to receive care! I believe that I am FINALLY on the road that will lead me back to MY life!
UofU Patient
October 09, 2020
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
again, the resident was awesome at explanation and trying to facilitate, but the attending seemed aloof and didn't seem to explain or expand on other concerns I had. if I could rate the resident only, I would rate him as five stars all the way.
UofU Patient
October 04, 2020
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
Good explanations, but didn't feel like she really listened to my concerns or personal experience.
UofU Patient
July 27, 2020
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
Dr Oakley was very thoughtful in her suggestions
UofU Patient
July 27, 2020
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
very good at telling me what was going to happen during surgery
UofU Patient
July 25, 2020
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
I had hesitation about a procedure. Doctor explained recommended steps and procedure would be the next step. I understood reasons.
UofU Patient
July 17, 2020
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
Gretchen Oakley was perfect for me. she gave me information, listened and together we made a decision. she took care of my problem. all of this in 30 minutes or less. I highly recommend her.
UofU Patient
June 19, 2020
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
AMAZING!
UofU Patient
June 14, 2020
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
Dr. Oakley is amazing. I had so many questions, concerns, etc. and she helped me understand exactly what was happening as I healed from my surgery.
UofU Patient
May 07, 2020
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
Dr Oakley and I had a terrible connection for our telehealth visit, but she still did her very best to make sure my needs and concerns were addressed and met. She was as wonderful as always!
UofU Patient
February 07, 2020
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
Dr Oakley is great!!
UofU Patient
January 15, 2020
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
Dr. Oakley has been a fantastic provider from start to finish with my recent sinus surgery. Her work has literally restored my ability to smell and taste again, 2 senses that I thought I had almost permanently lost. She's been fantastic with addressing all of my concerns, answering questions, and most importantly- making feel like I actually have a say in my medical care, as opposed to just telling me what to do. She's a provider that works with you and for you, in an effort to provide the best care possible. I can't recommend her enough!
UofU Patient
December 10, 2019
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
Dr. was thorough and professional. Consult was brief but effective.
UofU Patient
December 10, 2019
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
My only concern is that a student doctor came in first and I wonder, every time not just this time, how well they convey what I said to them. Am I supposed to repeat it all?
UofU Patient
December 07, 2019
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
Dr Oakley is AWESOME
UofU Patient
November 03, 2019
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
Because of time to calm, I was able to have a productive encounter with the provider. She was able to discuss options, see my needs, and figure out WITH me what wouldn't work for me, rather than just bulling ahead with a typical treatment. I was massively grateful for that mercy.
UofU Patient
November 02, 2019
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
this was my best appointment with Dr. Oakley. I came very prepared with the specific information needed to assist her.
UofU Patient
October 28, 2019
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
good
UofU Patient
October 27, 2019
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
good
UofU Patient
October 13, 2019
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
great
UofU Patient
October 12, 2019
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
Ibe shared this experience with others!
UofU Patient
October 02, 2019
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
Dr. Oakley was very informative.
UofU Patient
October 02, 2019
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
Dr.Oakly is a wonderful doctor, would recommend her to anyone.
UofU Patient
September 18, 2019
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
Dr. Oakley and her nurse were awesome.
UofU Patient
August 15, 2019
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
I was unaware that Dr. Oakley only specialized in sinus. I wish I had my throat looked at as well.
UofU Patient
August 04, 2019
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
The doctor seemed hurried.
UofU Patient
July 15, 2019
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
She heard what I had to say.
UofU Patient
June 19, 2019
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
Excellent bedside manner, very personable, knowledgeable, caring
UofU Patient
June 02, 2019
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
I would have liked to have forewarning that I'd want a supply of gauze and tape, as well as Afrin to help to stop bleeding in my nose. we acquired all these supplies after getting home from surgery.
UofU Patient
May 22, 2019
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
Care Provider didn't really seem interested to help resolve the issue but pass me on elsewhere. Did not explain MRI results
UofU Patient
May 14, 2019
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
Definitely a wonderful experience and will highly recommend to others.
UofU Patient
March 28, 2019
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
Very, very confident in referring ANYONE to the Provider, Clinic and Facility for the same or near-same treatment in future.
UofU Patient
March 24, 2019
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
I'm so thankful that Dr. Oakley is my doctor. She is very knowledgeable, thorough, caring and kind, and she takes the time to explain the best course of treatment in a way that is easy to understand.
UofU Patient
March 23, 2019
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
100% satisfied. have already recommended her to friend
UofU Patient
March 23, 2019
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
All good.
UofU Patient
March 08, 2019
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
As mentioned before, Dr. Oakley and the clinic staff really did fantastic. I was assured that all things would be handled and they gave great confidence in that happening.
UofU Patient
March 03, 2019
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
I'm very impressed with her skills.
UofU Patient
March 03, 2019
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
love Dr Oakley. relatable, kind, and personable
UofU Patient
February 26, 2019
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
Again Dr. Oakley was great, just had to wait a while in the exam room to see her and then she was off after a short amount of time with me. I still would see her again if I needed surgery.
UofU Patient
February 19, 2019
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
I have total faith and confidence in Dr Oakley
UofU Patient
February 17, 2019
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
Never in my 64 years have I met a Doctor this caring! I'm so glad I found her!
UofU Patient
February 16, 2019
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
very good
UofU Patient
February 09, 2019
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
I love this doctor. Love her! She is knowledgeable, has a great sense of humor, and made me feel very comfortable. I felt very confident with her as my doctor.
UofU Patient
January 21, 2019
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
Dr Oakley was professional, friendly and kind. She explained all the tests that she did and described my CT scan, sadly it did not shed light on my illness at all.
UofU Patient
December 27, 2018
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
Dr. Gretchen is fantastic and I would strongly recommend her.
UofU Patient
December 02, 2018
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
I searched for a great Doctor to help me fix my problems.. my little sister recommended the U of U Medical Center after she visited one of your Doctors for the same problem. I'm so glad I found Dr. Oakley!
UofU Patient
November 30, 2018
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
Dr. Oakley is one of the best doctors I've dealt with.
UofU Patient
October 30, 2018
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
good
UofU Patient
October 28, 2018
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
felt very well cared for- they went out of their way to meet needs and expectations- remembered the little stuff from first visit
UofU Patient
October 15, 2018
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
The PA was great, he was very helpful. I never saw the Dr.
UofU Patient
October 14, 2018
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
Dr. Oakley and the staff were all wonderful. I would highly recommend them.
UofU Patient
October 08, 2018
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
Dr. Oakley was very attentive and explained everything and answered all questions to my satisfaction
UofU Patient
October 03, 2018
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
Dr. Oakley is fantastic. She makes eye contact with me when I talk instead of scrolling through my chart. She explains everything in a way I understand buy without talking down to me. I have complete trust in her knowledge and ability. I just love her! 10s across the board!
UofU Patient
September 27, 2018
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
overall impressive service and staff helpful
UofU Patient
September 18, 2018
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
Dr Oakley is the best.
UofU Patient
September 14, 2018
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
I was led to believe my nose surgery would go smoothly and successfully. We told her what the assistant had to say that it was a very low rate of success and she took another look inside my nose and concurred it could become worse and she couldn't promise a good success. This was a shock to drop on my since my surgery was scheduled the following day! I did not feel confident anymore in her abilities and was upset that I was led on to believe that it would work!
UofU Patient
July 06, 2018
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
The doctor was very caring about my symptoms and how we could go about fixing them. I would recommend my doctor to anyone who is searching for an ENT provider.
UofU Patient
July 06, 2018
SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
good
UofU Patient
May 29, 2018
Dr. Oakley was great! I felt she listened to my concerns, explained my condition and informed me of all options available for me.
UofU Patient
May 28, 2018
Dr. Oakley was a great example of what an attending physician does, acts and follows up
UofU Patient
May 20, 2018
I was referred to Dr. Oakley by my allergist to get a second opinion on the chronic congestion I have suffered from for years. Dr. Kobernick spoke very highly of Dr. Oakley which made me feel confident in the care I would receive. I did not anticipate that my appointment with an ENT would lead to surgery, yet I trust her expertise and know that she wouldn't have recommended it unnecessarily. At this specific appointment Dr. Oakley walked into the room and could immediately see how miserable I was following surgery. She was very empathetic and did what she could to help speed up my recovery. I am so grateful that my care is in her hands. It has been great to finally have someone who is confident that they can help me! I can hardly wait to breathe through my nose like a normal person and not constantly blow my nose!
UofU Patient
May 17, 2018
I couldn't be happier with Dr Oakley!
UofU Patient
May 04, 2018
Dr. Oakley was great...very high and positive energy. Her confidence gave me confidence she can help me.
UofU Patient
April 19, 2018
very good
UofU Patient
April 13, 2018
I am so thankful for Dr. Oakley assisting in the surgery I recently had-- playing a big role in helping to save my eye sight in my left eye. She's a great doctor!
UofU Patient
March 28, 2018
Dr Oakley did an excellent job with the surgery and follow-up.
UofU Patient
March 21, 2018
Very good experience with the provider, responsive, informed and supportive.
UofU Patient
March 18, 2018
Dr. Oakley was professional, personable and a pleasure to be seen by. She explained my situation to me and what we could do to remedy. In language I would understand, left all the big words in her office. Look forward to seeing on my next appointment to show her treatment suggestion is working.
UofU Patient
March 17, 2018
Dr. Oakley was very nice and informative however I don't think she really got the pain I was in and that I really needed help. They just seem so very busy. Dr. Carpenter was with her and he was very nice and caring. I think as Dr. Oakley gets to know me I will really like her she did seem to care.
UofU Patient
March 09, 2018
I would 100% recommend Dr. Oakley if someone has a health problem that falls into her sphere of expertise.
UofU Patient
February 06, 2018
very positive.
UofU Patient
December 17, 2017
She adapted to my autism very well, though she reduced the vocabulary and 'dumbed down' a bit. But she didn't know me, and hadn't heard me, didn't know my constraints and background. I would rather have someone dumb down than to be lost when talked with. Importantly, she talked *with* me, not *at* or *to* me, and that is extremely important to me in a provider. I felt like she was approaching this as a consultant/expert, rather than as an expert/dictator. I value that in a provider more than anything else.
UofU Patient
December 15, 2017
amazing!
UofU Patient
November 14, 2017
Fantastic provider, very knowledgeable and confident.
UofU Patient
October 29, 2017
Dr. Oakley and Her Fellow were very thorough and attentive. the listened and answered all my concerns. Great to have them in the University system!
UofU Patient
October 12, 2017
amazing provider. she was informative and courteous. I have complete confidence in her.
UofU Patient
September 16, 2017
She listened to all my questions and never made me feel rushed
UofU Patient
July 12, 2017
She did what she could do. I'm greatful.
Gretchen Oakley, MD, specializes in Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery. Her clinical practice focuses on nasal and sinus diseases, including acute and chronic sinusitis, polyps, nasal and sinus tumors, cerebrospinal fluid leaks, endoscopic orbital surgery, nasal obstruction, and allergy. She works with a large multidisciplinary team that includes neurosurgeons, ophthalmologists, head and neck cancer surgeons, neuroradiologists, and head and neck pathologists to provide comprehensive care to patients and ensure optimal treatment outcomes.
Outside of her clinical work, she is also involved in Rhinology clinical research and has published several journal articles and book chapters in the field. Her research interests include cerebrospinal fluid leak diagnosis and management, genetic, biologic, and environmental factors in chronic sinusitis, and treatment outcomes of chronic sinusitis. In addition, she serves as the Medical Student Director for Otolaryngology.
Dr. Oakley received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and her medical degree from Saint Louis University School of Medicine. She then completed her Otolaryngology residency at the University of Utah, followed by an international fellowship in Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery in Sydney, Australia.
She is currently seeing patients at University of Utah Hospital and South Jordan Health Center.
Academic Locations
University Hospital
801-581-7515
Board Certification and Academic Information
Academic Departments | Surgery
-
Assistant Professor (Clinical) |
Academic Divisions | Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery |
Board Certification | American Board of Otolaryngology |
Research Interests
- Genetic, Biologic, and Environmental Factors in Chronic Rhinosinusitis
- Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak Diagnosis and Management
- Treatment Outcomes of Chronic Rhinosinusitis
Education History
Fellowship | St. Vincent's Hospital Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery Fellow |
Residency | University of Utah School of Medicine Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery Resident |
Professional Medical | Saint Louis University School of Medicine Medicine M.D. |
Undergraduate | Georgetown University Spanish B.A. |
Global Impact
Education History
Fellowship | St. Vincent's Hospital Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery Fellow |