DALTON, Ga. (January 28, 2026) – Frank Hogshead hadn’t heard well since the 1980s, when a fall left him with long-term damage in his right ear.
Although he suffered several injuries at the time, including compromised vision and a damaged sense of taste, his hearing was the only one that never fully recovered. Even with an expensive over-the-counter hearing aid, his ability to hear clearly remained limited. After being told the nerve damage could not be repaired, Hogshead accepted the loss and moved on.
All that changed recently when people in his social circle discussed advances in hearing technology and mentioned having positive experiences at Hamilton Hearing Center — a part of Vitruvian Health that specializes in hearing tests, hearing aids and other audiology services.
Hogshead, who is a former vice president of engineering for Hamilton Medical Center and the current owner and president of Providence Engineering, made an appointment with Dr. Katie McCreery-Scarbor, audiologist. She performed a comprehensive assessment that evaluated both his hearing levels and how well he understood speech in each ear.
After trialing two different types of devices, Hogshead found he could hear better than ever, even picking up on sounds like the faint hum of flickering lights or the soft meows of his cats at home.
Shortly after his right ear was addressed, the hearing aid in his left ear suddenly seemed ineffective. McCreery-Scarbor quickly referred him to an ear, nose and throat specialist, where he received steroid treatments that she said may have saved his hearing in that ear.
Now hearing clearly in both ears, Hogshead credits McCreery-Scarbor’s thorough care.
“I’m hearing things I had not heard in years,” Hogshead said. “I’ve been absolutely blown away. I was never aware of the inroads made in hearing aids until Katie gave me these, and I have been nothing but happy with them.”
Hogshead said he was also impressed with the modern equipment at Hamilton Hearing Center.
“It was more thorough than other places I have been,” he said. “I felt so good about it. I don’t think I’ve ever been as happy with something as I am with my new hearing aids.”
McCreery-Scarbor said thorough assessments and patience with trials are key components in finding effective technology for hearing loss.
“Hearing aids are not a one-size-fits-all solution,” she said. “How well someone does with hearing aids depends a whole lot on the care they receive, so we really pride ourselves at Hamilton Hearing Center on following the best evidence-based practices and connecting with the patient so they receive the services and the devices that they need. It’s very common to have two people with the exact same hearing loss but they need different devices for different reasons. We have something for everybody, but it’s the personalized care that makes the difference.”
Hamilton Hearing Center is at 1410 Chattanooga Ave. For an appointment, call 706-226-4623.