Dr. Samuel Shatkin Jr. Named One of Newsweek’s America’s Best Plastic Surgeons 2026 for Rhinoplasty

BUFFALO, NY, UNITED STATES, September 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Samuel Shatkin Jr., MD, FACS, of Aesthetic Associates Centre has been named to Newsweek’s America’s Best Plastic Surgeons 2026 in the category of rhinoplasty.

The annual ranking, produced by Newsweek in partnership with Statista, recognized 215 plastic surgeons nationwide for rhinoplasty in 2026. More than 5,500 physicians were evaluated and more than 10,000 votes were counted as part of this year’s ranking process. Dr. Shatkin is one of only two currently practicing Buffalo-area plastic surgeons identified on the 2026 rhinoplasty list.

The 2026 recognition also marks six consecutive years, from 2021 through 2026, that Dr. Shatkin has been recognized through Newsweek’s America’s Best Plastic Surgeons program. Newsweek’s America’s Best Plastic Surgeons ranking identifies physicians across several areas of cosmetic plastic surgery rather than publishing a single overall list.

For 2026, Statista reported that physicians were recognized in six procedure categories: breast augmentation, facelift, rhinoplasty, liposuction, tummy tuck and eyelid surgery. A total of 578 individual plastic surgeons received recognition across the various categories. The rhinoplasty category included 215 surgeons nationwide.

According to Statista, the ranking was based on an online survey of medical experts, quality scores and board-certification information. Medical professionals participating in the survey were asked to recommend plastic surgeons for individual procedures, both within their own state and outside their state. Self-recommendations were not permitted.

For in-state recommendations, participants were also asked to evaluate aspects of care including physician consultation, complications, follow-up care and outcomes. The methodology gives professional recommendations a central role in the evaluation while incorporating additional information intended to distinguish physicians within each procedure category. American Board of Plastic Surgery certification was also incorporated into the scoring process.

The 2026 ranking represents the sixth edition of Newsweek and Statista’s America’s Best Plastic Surgeons program, which was first published in 2021. Dr. Shatkin’s inclusion in the 2026 ranking continues a series of Newsweek recognitions dating to the program’s first year. He has now been recognized through the America’s Best Plastic Surgeons program in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. His 2025 recognition marked his fifth consecutive year in the program. With his inclusion in the 2026 rhinoplasty ranking, that sequence has extended to six consecutive years.

The repeated recognition reflects the structure of an annual evaluation rather than a permanent designation. Newsweek and Statista conduct the ranking each year using information gathered for that edition. For patients researching plastic surgeons, the rankings provide an additional source of information that can be considered alongside a physician’s training, board certification, experience, consultation process and the patient’s individual treatment needs.

Rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure involving changes to the structure of the nose. Patients may consider the procedure for cosmetic concerns, functional concerns or a combination of the two. Because the nose has both aesthetic and functional roles, evaluation typically begins with an individual consultation. A surgeon may assess nasal structure, discuss the patient’s concerns and goals, and determine whether surgery is appropriate.

Treatment planning can vary substantially from one patient to another. The appropriate surgical approach depends on individual anatomy and the changes being considered. Dr. Shatkin’s recognition specifically in the rhinoplasty category identifies him among the physicians included in Newsweek and Statista’s procedure-specific 2026 assessment.

Unlike a general physician directory, the America’s Best Plastic Surgeons program separates surgeons by the procedures for which they received recognition. This allows readers to review the ranking in relation to a particular type of cosmetic surgery. Professional recommendations make up an important part of the Newsweek and Statista methodology.

According to Statista, thousands of medical experts participated in the 2026 evaluation process. Participants could recommend plastic surgeons performing eligible cosmetic procedures in their own state as well as surgeons in other states included in the survey. The process prohibited physicians from recommending themselves.

In addition to recommendations, the ranking incorporated quality-related evaluations and certification data. Statista states that in-state recommendations included assessments related to consultation, complications, follow-up care and outcomes. The methodology is designed to combine professional opinion with additional evaluation criteria rather than relying on a single factor.

For the 2026 edition, more than 5,500 doctors were evaluated, while more than 10,000 votes were counted. Across all six cosmetic surgery categories, 578 individual plastic surgeons received recognition. The number of physicians recognized varied by procedure. Rhinoplasty accounted for 215 honorees.

Dr. Shatkin’s inclusion also places a Buffalo-based physician within a national group of surgeons recognized specifically for rhinoplasty. He is one of only two currently practicing plastic surgeons from the Buffalo area identified on the 2026 Newsweek rhinoplasty list.

For patients in Western New York who are researching rhinoplasty, the national ranking provides another reference point when considering potential surgeons and preparing for consultations.

Patients considering any surgical procedure generally have several factors to review. These may include whether a physician is appropriately board certified, the surgeon’s experience with the procedure being considered, the consultation process, treatment planning, surgical setting and follow-up care.

A consultation also gives patients an opportunity to discuss their individual goals and ask questions about what a procedure may involve.

About the America’s Best Plastic Surgeons Ranking: Newsweek publishes America’s Best Plastic Surgeons in partnership with Statista, a research and data organization that produces rankings across healthcare and other industries. The plastic-surgeon ranking was first published in 2021.

For the 2026 edition, eligible surgeons were evaluated across six cosmetic surgery procedures. Statista reports that the ranking used an online survey of thousands of medical experts, quality scores and board-certification data.

Survey participants were asked to recommend physicians for specific cosmetic procedures. Recommendations could include surgeons within the participant’s state and physicians outside the state.

For recommendations involving physicians within the same state, respondents were also asked to assess quality-of-care factors. Statista identifies consultation with the doctor, complications, follow-up care and outcomes as examples considered in those assessments.

Board-certification information was incorporated separately into the methodology.

The resulting ranking recognized:

- 240 plastic surgeons for breast augmentation
- 235 for facelift
- 215 for rhinoplasty
- 220 for liposuction
- 235 for tummy tuck
- 180 for eyelid surgery

Because individual physicians may be recognized in more than one procedure category, the number of category recognitions is greater than the number of individual surgeons recognized. Statista reports that 578 individual plastic surgeons received awards in the 2026 edition.

A Continuing Annual Recognition: Dr. Shatkin’s 2026 inclusion follows recognition in each of the previous five editions of the Newsweek program. His first recognition came in 2021, when the America’s Best Plastic Surgeons ranking was introduced. Subsequent recognitions followed in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. The 2026 result extends that sequence to six years.

For Dr. Shatkin, the recognition is particularly meaningful because recommendations from medical professionals are a major component of the ranking process.

“I am honored to once again be recognized by Newsweek and Statista, and particularly pleased to be included among America’s leading plastic surgeons for rhinoplasty. Peer recognition is especially meaningful to me. I am grateful to our patients for their trust and to our entire team at Aesthetic Associates Centre for their commitment to providing outstanding patient care.” Dr. Shatkin said.

The acknowledgment also gives current and prospective patients another independent source they can review when learning about physicians who perform rhinoplasty.

Patients Can Use Rankings as One Part of Their Research: A national physician ranking can provide useful background information, but choosing a plastic surgeon is an individual decision. Patients considering rhinoplasty may want to use a consultation to understand the surgeon’s approach, discuss their goals and determine whether their expectations are compatible with what surgery can reasonably address.

Questions can also include the surgeon’s board certification, experience performing rhinoplasty, treatment recommendations, recovery considerations and follow-up process. Because every patient’s anatomy and goals differ, a consultation provides information that cannot be determined from a ranking alone.

Newsweek and Statista likewise describe their ranking as an annual assessment based on the methodology and data available for that edition.

Dr. Shatkin’s appearance in the 2026 rhinoplasty category therefore represents one component of the information available to patients researching cosmetic nasal surgery.

About Samuel Shatkin Jr., MD, FACS: Samuel Shatkin Jr., MD, FACS, practices at Aesthetic Associates Centre in Buffalo, New York. He has been recognized through Newsweek’s America’s Best Plastic Surgeons program for six consecutive years, beginning with the inaugural 2021 edition and continuing through the 2026 ranking. His latest recognition is in the rhinoplasty category of the 2026 list.

Patients interested in learning more about Dr. Shatkin, Aesthetic Associates Centre or available plastic-surgery consultations can visit the practice’s website for additional information.

About Aesthetic Associates Centre: Aesthetic Associates Centre is located in Buffalo, New York, and provides plastic-surgery and aesthetic services. Additional information about the practice, its physicians and available services is available through Aesthetic Associates Centre.

Geron Evanson
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