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Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS - Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Garden City, New York

Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Garden City, New York
NPI: 1447313978· License: 243747 (NY) verify
Medical school: George Washington University School Of Medicine · Graduated 1999(~27 yrs since med school)
Industry payments (2024): $682 across 2 payments (what this means)
4.9(161 ratings)

In Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo's own words

How Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo describes their own approach, from their TikTok posts. Each statement links to the original.

Approach

  • I try my best to reassure parents along the way, as SO many changes happen over timeTikTok ↗
  • The practice's mission is to transform children's lives one smile at a time.TikTok ↗

Statements are quoted or closely paraphrased from Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo's own public posts and are their claims, not NavMDs' medical advice. Doctors can correct or remove any item via their claimed profile or support [at] navmds.com.

About

Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS, is a highly-rated, board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in pediatric plastic and craniofacial surgery in Garden City, New York. Affiliated with New York Plastic Surgical Group, a division of Long Island Plastic Surgical Group, Dr. Ruotolo is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine. Her passion lies in transforming children's lives, particularly those with cleft lip and palate, striving to achieve natural-looking results. Connect with her on various social media platforms for more information. Her practice's mission is dedicated to transforming children's lives one smile at a time. She prioritizes reassuring parents throughout the process, acknowledging the many changes that occur over time after cleft repair.

Connect with Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo on Social Media

SpecialtiesProceduresAverage CostReviewsIndustry PaymentsInsuranceLocationAffiliationsEducationFAQ

Specialties

  • Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Procedures & Services

Select a service to schedule an appointment · each is approximately 60 minutes

Questions, Answers, and Information Directly from Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo

Sourced directly from Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo's social posts and replies.

What should parents expect regarding their child's recovery and long-term changes after cleft lip repair?
Parents should understand that many changes occur to the lip, nose, and scar during the months and years following cleft repair. The lip often remains pink and firm for months. The scar may contract, causing shortening of the lip, which can sometimes make it appear as if the cleft is recurring. Patience and time are essential for the lip and nose to soften and settle. While some changes may require operative intervention, others simply need time and observation.
Source →
Can you describe Dr. Ruotolo's detailed surgical approach for cleft lip and nasal reconstruction?
Dr. Ruotolo's approach involves meticulous intra-operative markings, including the alar bases, collumellar base, oral commissures, and the red line. She emphasizes the importance of anatomically aligning the wet and dry vermilion to prevent chronic crusting. She carefully marks the white roll to determine Cupid's bow peak and trough and Nordhoff's point. The procedure involves drawing rotation, C, and advancement flaps, ensuring the advancement flap does not extend beyond the alar base. Medial and lateral mucosa flaps are used to align the nasal floor and line the piriform aperture-relaxing incision, respectively. A Z-plasty release of the upper lip frenulum is also performed to aid medial segment rotation. She uses rulers for horizontal and calipers for vertical measurements, and may include a vertical triangular wedge excision to shorten the lip if needed, especially in incomplete clefts which can counterintuitively end up too long.
Source →
How does Dr. Ruotolo ensure transparency and patient privacy with her results?
Dr. Ruotolo features actual patients with real results on her website and social media. Informed consent is always obtained directly from the patient or their parents for the use of these images.
Source →

Videos from Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo

@drrachelruotolo on TikTok →

Videos posted on TikTok by @drrachelruotolo. Press play to watch here, or open the original on TikTok.

  • Hi 👋🏼 everyone! Watch the following Reel 🎥 cataloging this progress over the last 15 months fo…

    2.2M views · Nov 2025 · TikTok ↗

  • Hi 👋🏼 everyone! Watch the following Reel 🎥 cataloging this progress over the last SIXTEEN year…

    1.8M views · Nov 2025 · TikTok ↗

  • Hi 👋🏼 everyone! It’s 🖊️🖊️ Today, I’m highlighting the intra-op markings of a recent RIGHT sid…

    1.3M views · Mar 2026 · TikTok ↗

  • Hi 👋🏼 everyone!! Remember yesterday’s She is seen here BEFORE and immediately AFTER her bilater…

    985.8K views · Dec 2025 · TikTok ↗

  • Hi 👋🏼 everyone! It’s 🖊️🖊️ Today, I’m highlighting the intra-op markings of a recent LEFT side…

    359.5K views · Mar 2026 · TikTok ↗

  • Hi 👋🏼 everyone!! Remember yesterday’s markings ✒️ video!? AS PROMISED!!! He is seen here BEFORE…

    318.1K views · Apr 2026 · TikTok ↗

Patient Experience

Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo Review Summary

4.92
Dr. Ruotolo has exceptional ratings, averaging 4.92 out of 5 stars across multiple platforms. Patients rave about her skills and compassionate care.

Ratings from Other Platforms

realself.com

5 out of 5

Based on 2 reviews

View on realself.com

Google Reviews

4.9 out of 5

Based on 320 reviews

View on Google Reviews
Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS - Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Garden City, New York

New York Plastic Surgical

999 Franklin Ave, Garden City, New York

(516) 742-3404

Book a Service Consultation

Each service is approximately 60 minutes.

Industry Payments

Federal law (the Physician Payments Sunshine Act) requires drug and medical-device companies to report anything of value they give to a physician — consulting and speaking fees, research funding, travel, royalties, and even meals. Medicare publishes all of it in a public database called Open Payments. We show it here so you don't have to go looking for it.

Total received (2024)

$682

Payments

2

Compared to peers

Modest

Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo received $682 across 2 payments in 2024. That is higher than about 56% of the physicians here who received any industry payment. Most of it was categorised as grant, and the largest single payer was ABBVIE INC..

What this means for your care

  • A disclosed payment is a business relationship, not evidence of wrongdoing, and it says nothing on its own about the quality of your care.
  • Most payments are small. Across the physicians listed on NavMDs, the single most common category is food and beverage at industry-sponsored talks.
  • Larger consulting, speaking or royalty payments mean an ongoing financial relationship with a company whose products your doctor may use or recommend. That is worth knowing about, and it is reasonable to ask about.
  • A fair question to ask: “Do you have a financial relationship with the maker of the implant, filler or device you're recommending — and what alternatives did you consider?”

Source: CMS Open Payments, the federal database created by the Sunshine Act. View the full record on CMS Open Payments ↗

Insurance Information

Please contact Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo's office directly for information about accepted insurance plans.

Phone: (516) 742-3404

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Location & Contact Information

New York Plastic Surgical

999 Franklin Ave

Garden City, New York 11530

Get Directions

Office Information

Phone: (516) 742-3404

Where does Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo practice?

Doctor's Office

New York Plastic Surgical (Primary)

999 Franklin Ave, Garden City, New York 11530

(2 reviews)

Hospital Affiliations

New York Plastic Surgical Group

Help improve our data. Confirm if Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo is affiliated with New York Plastic Surgical Group.

Long Island Plastic Surgical Group

Help improve our data. Confirm if Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo is affiliated with Long Island Plastic Surgical Group.

Education & Experience

Education

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department Of Surgery At Nyu Grossman Long Island School Of Medicine

Certifications & Licenses

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make an appointment with Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo online?
The provided information doesn't confirm online booking availability. It's best to contact the office directly at (516) 742-3404 or check the New York Plastic Surgical Group website.
Does Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo offer telehealth?
Telehealth availability isn't specified. Contact the office at (516) 742-3404 for more information.
What do patients have to say about Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo?
Patients highly recommend Dr. Ruotolo, describing her as an amazing human being and the best choice for children's plastic surgery.
What areas of care does Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo cater to?
Dr. Ruotolo specializes in pediatric plastic and craniofacial surgery, including cleft lip and palate repair. She also practices general plastic and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Ruotolo emphasizes a highly customized approach to cleft lip repair, believing that every case is unique and requires tailored markings and surgery to address each baby’s specific anatomy. She is known for her meticulous surgical planning, spending significant time marking the white roll to precisely determine Cupid's bow peak and trough and Nordhoff's point, and is prepared to adjust landmarks and incision markings as needed during the procedure. She notes that incomplete cleft lip repairs can sometimes be more challenging than very wide unilateral cleft lip repairs, demonstrating a nuanced understanding of complex cases.