San Antonio, TX – January 21, 2026 — The Ear Institute of Texas is proud to announce that Lance E. Jackson, MD, FACS, Jennifer L. Bergeron, MD, and Jessica J. Kepchar, DO have been recognized as Castle Connolly Top Doctors for 2026. This national designation honors the top 7% of physicians across the United States, based on peer nomination, rigorous credential review, and demonstrated excellence in clinical care. Dr. Jackson has won this distinction 23 years consecutively. Dr. Bergeron has earned the recognition six years consecutively and Dr. Kepchar has won three years consecutively.
About the Castle Connolly Top Doctors at the Ear Institute of Texas:
Lance E. Jackson, MD, FACS – Otology/Neurotology
Dr. Lance Jackson is the founder of the Ear Institute of Texas and holds board certification in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery with subspecialty certification in Neurotology. He provides comprehensive care for adult and pediatric ear, allergy, and hearing conditions. A San Antonio native, Dr. Jackson trained at MIT, Washington University in St. Louis, Stanford University, and completed advanced fellowship training in Otology/Neurotology at the Ear Research Foundation. He is recognized annually for his clinical leadership and innovation, earning repeated honors including Texas Super Doctors, Best Doctors, and now more than 25 years of Castle Connolly Top Doctor awards.
Jennifer L. Bergeron, MD – Laryngology
Dr. Jennifer Bergeron is a board-certified, fellowship-trained laryngologist specializing in voice, airway, swallowing disorders, and head and neck conditions. She trained in vocal performance at Pepperdine University before completing medical school at Baylor College of Medicine and residency at UCLA. She later completed fellowship training at Stanford School of Medicine. Dr. Bergeron is known for offering advanced laryngeal procedures—including interventions for vocal cord paralysis and spasmodic dysphonia.
Jessica J. Kepchar, DO – Otolaryngology / Head & Neck Surgery
Dr. Jessica Kepchar is a board-certified otolaryngologist with extensive training in comprehensive ENT care across all ages. A Pennsylvania native, she completed her undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Delaware as a 4-year Army ROTC scholar, followed by medical training at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, where she graduated near the top of her class. She completed her ENT residency at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and served 12 years of active-duty military service, including roles as the sole ENT provider at Fort Polk and later as core faculty and department chief at Brooke Army Medical Center. Dr. Kepchar provides full-spectrum ENT care, with additional expertise in sleep apnea management.
Ear Institute of Texas is supported by Parallel ENT & Allergy, a national network of ear, nose, throat, and audiology practices. Parallel provides EIT and HIT with non-clinical, practice management services to support high-quality patient care.
About the Ear Institute of Texas
Founded in 2003 by Dr. Lance Jackson, the Ear Institute of Texas (EIT) and Hearing Institute of Texas has four board-certified physicians and total staff of 50. EIT provides medical and surgical treatments of the ear, nose, throat, and other ENT disorders for patients of all ages. This includes all forms of otolaryngology conditions, including subspecialty care of both otology/neurotology and laryngology conditions by fellowship-trained physicians. The practice also offers vestibular testing, allergy evaluation and treatments including immunotherapy options, laryngoscopy and cochlear implantation. The Hearing Institute of Texas fits patients with hearing aids and provides all aspects of audiology care. For more information, please visit www.eioftx.com.
About Castle Connolly Top Doctors
Castle Connolly’s physician-led research team rigorously evaluates nominees to select Top Doctors at national and regional levels. Physicians are nominated by their peers and vetted based on qualifications, education, professional reputation, disciplinary history, and outcomes data. Castle Connolly’s Doctor Directory is the largest network of peer-nominated physicians in the U.S.
About Parallel ENT & Allergy
Parallel ENT & Allergy is a physician-centric practice management organization for ENT and allergy practices. Parallel provides strategic, operational, and administrative support, so physicians can spend less time worrying about the business of medicine and more time caring for their patients. To learn more about Parallel ENT & Allergy, or to inquire about becoming a supported practice, visit https://parallelenta.com.
Press Contact:
Suz Murphy
Ear Institute of Texas, a Parallel ENT & Allergy practice
Have Questions?
Our staff is available to take your calls Monday through Friday from 8:00am – 5:00pm. You are also welcome to drop in to set up an appointment during normal office hours. To schedule an initial appointment with one of our audiologists, you may give us a call directly at (210) 696-4327 (HEAR). We look forward to hearing from you! “Better HEARing for a better life.”