Dayton Children’s ranks in two specialties with U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals

Dayton Children’s Hospital has been recognized as a 2024-2025 Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report. The rankings assist parents and caregivers, along with their physicians, in navigating the challenges of choosing the best possible care for children with serious illnesses or complex medical needs. 

This is the fifth year in a row that the orthopedics division at Dayton Children’s has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report for the division’s world-class, innovative care. In addition to orthopedics, the hospital’s behavioral health program was also ranked among the top 50 children’s hospitals in the country. This is the first year U.S. News has ranked adolescent behavioral health. 

“Orthopedics and behavioral health are two of our busiest and most impactful specialties here at Dayton Children’s,” said Deborah Feldman, president and CEO of Dayton Children’s Hospital. “We are delighted to have them recognized by U.S. News & World Report for their innovative approach to care. Although the ranking is just one factor among many for families when deciding on the best care for their child, we hope it provides them with added confidence in choosing Dayton Children's for their health care needs.” 

orthopedics at Dayton Children’s  

The orthopedics division is a destination for families seeking innovative, personalized approaches to their child’s care. This is especially true for spine and scoliosis patients, where Dayton Children’s is pioneering minimally invasive procedures, like ApiFix, which offer substantial benefits over traditional fusion surgery including a smaller incision and shorter hospital stay. The Dayton Children’s orthopedics division is also recognized for its state-of-the art gait lab, the innovative Center for the Female Athlete program, approach to ACL reconstruction and rehab, and care for congenital conditions, like clubfoot and arthrogryposis. 

“We are thrilled to be recognized by U.S. News & World Report for the work being done in our orthopedics division for the fifth year in a row,” said Michael Albert, MD, chief, pediatric orthopedics at Dayton Children’s.

“We know that having convenient, world-class orthopedics care close to home matters to the families we care for. This ranking demonstrates our continued commitment to families in our region and beyond.” 

behavioral health at Dayton Children’s 

Behavioral health has been a focus for the hospital over the last several years after recognizing the size and scale of the mental health crisis among children and teens. To respond, the hospital will be opening The Mathile Center for Mental Health and Wellness in 2025, which will double the available space for mental health patients. In addition, the behavioral health program offers robust and specialized therapy programs, provides student resiliency coordinators in nearly 40 schools throughout Dayton and supports the On Our Sleeves movement for mental health, which focuses on prevention and emotional wellbeing. 

“We are pleased to have our adolescent behavioral health program ranked by U.S. News & World Report,” said Kelly Blankenship, DO, associate medical officer for behavioral health and division chief of psychiatry at Dayton Children’s.

“At Dayton Children’s, we are committed to addressing the youth mental health crisis and will continue to work with our community to meet the growing demand for services. We are honored to have our work recognized in this way.” 

U.S. News, together with RTI International, a North Carolina-based research and consulting firm, collected and analyzed data from 108 children’s hospitals and surveyed thousands of pediatric specialists. Children’s hospitals awarded a “Best” designation excelled at factors such as clinical outcomes, level and quality of hospital resources directly related to patient care and expert opinion among pediatric specialists.