New Orthopaedics Division Director Announced

Orthopaedic surgeon Jaime Rice Denning, MD, MS, is the new director of Cincinnati Children’s Division of Orthopaedics. Denning assumed the role in March, succeeding a legacy of physician leaders who helped establish the division as one of the nation’s premier pediatric orthopaedic programs.

For Denning, the appointment represents an opportunity to build on one of the nation’s most respected pediatric orthopaedic programs while positioning the division for its next era of growth.

“Our orthopaedic division has a long, rich history of clinical excellence and discovery,” she says. “I’m excited to invest in our people and teams—supporting faculty, advanced practice providers, trainees, therapists, nurses and staff as they continue to deliver outstanding care for our patients and families.”

Rather than changing direction, Denning’s focus is on accelerating the division’s momentum.

“My vision is to continue elevating Cincinnati Children’s as a national and international destination for highly specialized pediatric orthopaedic care, while also maintaining our core mission of providing exceptional care for orthopaedic conditions, fractures and injuries for our local tri-state population,” she says.

Over the next several years, Denning says she hopes to further expand the division’s impact through research, innovation and education while strengthening multidisciplinary programs, increasing research collaborations, improving access to urgent orthopaedic care and developing the next generation of pediatric orthopaedic leaders.

Building on a Culture of Collaboration

When she considers what she values most about Cincinnati Children’s, Denning starts with the people.

“Our division’s greatest strength is undoubtedly our culture,” she says. “We have an incredible group of nationally and internationally recognized surgeons who span every subspecialty within pediatric orthopaedics, but we are all focused on the common goal of bringing the safest and highest-quality musculoskeletal care to children.”

That collaborative mindset extends well beyond orthopaedic surgery.

Across the institution, orthopaedic surgeons work closely with a variety of specialists—including physical and occupational therapists, rehabilitation specialists, neurologists, radiologists, anesthesiologists, orthotists and geneticists—to develop coordinated treatment plans for children with both common and highly complex musculoskeletal conditions. These multidisciplinary partnerships are especially important for patients with conditions such as cerebral palsy, myelomeningocele, epidermolysis bullosa and brachial plexus injuries.

“Effective multidisciplinary care means more than simply having multiple specialists involved,” Denning says. “It means creating a truly coordinated experience where experts work together to develop a unified plan for the patient and family.”

Advancing Research and the Future of Pediatric Orthopaedics

Research will remain central to the division’s future, Denning says.

Current work spans the full spectrum of pediatric orthopaedics—from a basic science laboratory studying muscle contractures at the molecular level to personalized surgical planning with 3D printing to multicenter clinical research in trauma, infection, sports medicine and spine care.

Denning’s own research has focused on improving fracture care by streamlining proven methods and reducing unnecessary variation.

“My work has reinforced the idea that small improvements can make a significant difference for patients and families,” she says. “It’s broadened my perspective beyond focusing on a single patient at a time to think more broadly about our whole system—how we standardize best practices and create safer, more efficient experiences for every child.”

For Denning, advancing pediatric orthopaedics means pairing scientific discovery with the collaborative culture that has long defined Cincinnati Children’s. She says continued investment in multidisciplinary care, education and innovation will ensure the division remains a destination for children with both common and highly complex orthopaedic conditions.

“We have something special here—an extraordinary team, a strong culture of excellence and a shared commitment to improving outcomes for children,” Denning says. “We will continue building partnerships, advancing research and developing new approaches to care while remaining focused on our No. 1 priority—our patients and their families.”

(Published August 2026)

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