Steven P. Bensen, MD

I enjoy working in partnership with my patients. I listen to their concerns and ask about their goals and expectations. Whether their goal is to hike Mt. Moosilauke or to play with their grandchildren, I want to be help them get back to what brings them joy and returns them to the life they want. Quality of life is important! Recovering from an injury can take time. If a patient feels discouraged about their progress, I can help show them how far they’ve come by referring them back to their own statements about how they were feeling earlier in treatment. By using patient-reported outcomes, I can say, “This is where you were, and this is where you are now” so they can clearly see their progress. My patients and I work collaboratively to help return them to the highest level of function possible based on their health issue and the evidence-based treatment options.

After completing my residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, obtaining a Masters of Science from The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, and completing a one-year fellowship in Adult Reconstructive Surgery/Total Joint Arthroplasty at Harvard's Brigham and Women's hospital in Boston, MA, I returned to Dartmouth-Hitchcock in 2014. I was drawn back by its underlying core values and culture, where a strong emphasis on patient reported outcomes and shared decision making places the patient at the epicenter of their medical care. My interests and clinical practice includes primary knee and hip arthroplasty, with an emphasis on the direct anterior approach, partial knee replacements, uncemented knee replacement, patient-specific technology, revision hip and knee arthroplasty, complex acetabular reconstruction, periprosthetic fracture management, periprosthetic infections, knee fusions, and general orthopaedic trauma. By using proven treatment methods and listening to the individual needs of my patients, I am able to provide compassionate and comprehensive care to each and every patient. My goal is to build long-term, lasting relationships with my patients, and to treat every patient as if they are part of my family. I have published on many research topics including patient-reported outcomes, total joint replacement in the elderly, prosthetic joint infections, cost-effective orthopaedic care and determining value in joint replacement. I have also written the book Get Hip with one of my former patients to help patients prepare for and recovery from hip replacement.

As a practicing physician for over 25 years, I have found that medicine is not a precise science. While it is important to keep current with the latest evidence, there is usually more than one option when ordering diagnostic tests or prescribing treatments. My role is to provide my patients with options to choose from that are supported by best evidence and to be present at times when my patients feel vulnerable due to a health condition.