Jonathan F. Dickens, MD
Sports Medicine Orthopaedic Surgeon, Orthopaedic Surgeon
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About Me
I am a shoulder, knee, hip, and sports medicine surgeon at Duke Health and am heavily involved in minimally invasive arthroscopic techniques and the prevention of sports injuries. I cultivated these interests during my time in the military. My areas of interest and expertise are in shoulder and knee injuries in athletes and techniques and treatments to return these patients back to high levels of function or sport. I treat conditions, such as shoulder dislocations, rotator cuff tears, and shoulder arthritis with a joint replacement. My knee expertise is in ligament, cartilage, and meniscus injuries. I am involved in research, technique, and product development for each of these conditions to better help my patients.
- Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery 2022
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Ratings and Reviews
The ratings and reviews are based on patient responses to the overall provider rating question from the survey. The question reads: “Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst provider possible and 10 is the best provider possible, what number would you use to rate this provider?” Responses are converted to a 5-point rating system and applied consistently to all providers. Learn more about our survey process. Patients who see some types of providers receive a different version of the patient satisfaction survey. Those results are not available on DukeHealth.org.
Training and Education
Clinical Focus and Research
My current research focuses on optimizing clinical outcomes following the surgical treatment of cartilage, tendon, and ligament injuries to the knee and shoulder. This includes clinical trials to improve outcomes following ligament injuries in the knee and shoulder dislocations. I am also developing and investigating new technologies and techniques to treat shoulder instability, rotator cuff tears, fracture fixation, and meniscus tears. This research seeks to provide better patient care, help patients return to normal functioning sooner, decrease pain, and prevent arthritis.
- Duke Sports Medicine Fellowship Program AY25-26 awarded by Arthroscopy Association of North America 2025 - 2026
- Owens, B. D., and J. F. Dickens. SHOULDER INSTABILITY IN THE ATHLETE: Management and Surgical Techniques for Optimized Return to Play, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003526391.
- Carver, J. L., A. H. Le, D. F. Colantonio, R. M. Putko, D. L. Rodkey, M. B. Bird, W. B. Roach, et al. “Individual and Combined Effects of Anterior Cruciate Ligament and Lateral Meniscus Injuries and Surgical Interventions on Tibiofemoral Peak Pressure Magnitude Vary by Flexion Angle.” Arthroscopy Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation 7, no. 4 (August 1, 2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asmr.2025.101152.
- Hurley, Eoghan T., Jack Twomey-Kozak, Jacob F. Oeding, Mark A. Glover, Alex M. Meyer, Samuel G. Lorentz, Jonathan F. Dickens, et al. “Cost-Effectiveness of Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction for First-Time Patellar Dislocations: A Markov Analysis.” Am J Sports Med 53, no. 10 (August 2025): 2363–69. https://doi.org/10.1177/03635465251350394.
- Corvi, Michaela E., Eoghan T. Hurley, Tom Doyle, Samuel G. Lorentz, John J. Corvi, Jonathan F. Dickens, Oke Anakwenze, and Christopher S. Klifto. “One-Year Follow-Up Is Sufficient Time for Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Rotator Cuff Repair: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.” Arthroscopy 41, no. 8 (August 2025): 3065–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arthro.2024.12.007.
- Shawen, S. B., J. F. Dickens, K. G. Kilcoyne, and B. K. Potter. “Complex Foot and Ankle Injuries.” In Combat Orthopedic Surgery Lessons Learned in Irag and Afghanistan, 269–82, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003523222-30.
- Dickens, J. F., and M. M. A. Donohue. “Management of In-Season Anterior Instability and Return-to-Play Outcomes.” In Shoulder Instability in the Athlete Management and Surgical Techniques for Optimized Return to Play, 43–54, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003526391-7.
- Dickens, J. F., L. E. LeClere, and B. W. Hoyt. “Open repair of posterior shoulder instability.” In Surgical Techniques of the Shoulder Elbow and Knee in Sports Medicine Third Edition, 121–30, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-76300-4.00021-7.
- Slaven, Sean E., Michael A. Donohue, Robert A. Tardif, Kevin A. Foley, Lance E. LeClere, Kenneth L. Cameron, Jeffrey R. Giuliani, Matthew A. Posner, and Jonathan F. Dickens. “Revision Arthroscopic Bankart Repair Results in High Failure Rates and a Low Return to Duty Rate Without Recurrent Instability.” In Arthroscopy, 39:913–18, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arthro.2022.08.044.
Insurance Accepted
Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below.
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Aetna
- Aetna Choice POS, Aetna Choice POS II
- Aetna Elect Choice HMO, Aetna Open Access Elect Choice
- Aetna Health Network Only, Aetna Health Network Option
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Limited Benefit Insurance PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice POS
- Aetna Medicare Assure Plan (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Medicare Eagle Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Essential Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Value Plan (HMO)
- Aetna Open Access HMO, Open Access Aetna Select, Aetna Open Access Managed Choice
- Aetna Open Choice PPO
- Aetna PCP Coordinated POS Plan
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (QPOS)
- Aetna Select HMO
- Aetna Traditional Choice
- Aetna Voluntary Indemnity Group Plan
- Aetna Whole Health – Duke WakeMed WKCC
- Aetna/CVS Health
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Ambetter
- Ambetter of North Carolina
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Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
- Blue Advantage
- Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
- Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
- Blue Select
- NC State Employees Health Plan
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.
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Cigna
- Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
- Cigna Choice Plus
- Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
- Cigna Open Access
- Cigna Open Access Plus
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*Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.
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Duke Group Plans
- Duke Basic
- Duke Select
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Experience Health
- Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
- Gateway Health Alliance
- Healthgram
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Humana
- Humana Choice (PPO)
- Humana Choice - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana ChoiceCare - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana Gold Choice - Medicare Advantage (PFFS)
- Humana Gold Plus - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage Group Plan - NC State Retirees
- MedCost
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Medicare
- First Medicare Direct
- Medicare Part A
- Medicare Part B
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NC Medicaid
- AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
- Carolina Complete Health
- Healthy Blue
- NC Medicaid Direct
- UHC Community Plan
- WellCare of North Carolina
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TRICARE
- TRICARE Prime
- TRICARE Prime Remote
- TRICARE Select
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United Healthcare
- AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2 (HMO-POS)
- AARP Medicare Complete (HMO, PPO)*
- AARP Medicare Complete Essential (HMO)*
- All Savers Alternate Funding
- All Savers Fully Insured
- United Healthcare (HMO, PPO, POS)**
- United Healthcare Charter/Charter Balance/Charter Plus
- United Healthcare Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Core/Core Essential
- United Healthcare Navigate/Navigate Plus/Navigate Balanced
- United Healthcare Option PPO
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Options PPO
- United Healthcare Select/Select Plus
- United Healthcare Shared Services - Harvard Pilgrim/UHC Options PPO Network
- United Medical Resources (UMR)
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.
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**Duke Health does not participate in UHC plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Before scheduling your appointment, we strongly recommend you contact your insurance company to verify that the Duke Health location or provider you plan to visit is included in your network. Your insurance company will also be able to inform you of any co-payments, co–insurances, or deductibles that will be your responsibility. If you proceed in scheduling an appointment and your health insurance benefits do not participate with Duke, your out of pocket liability may be higher. We will contact you regarding your coverage and patient liability. If you are uninsured, learn more about our financial assistance policy.
External Relationships
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Arthroscopy Association of North America
- Blue Bio
- Restor3d
- Revbio
- Sparta Biomedical
- Sparta Biopharma LLC
Scott Dixon was excellent, personable and did the cortisone shot in my shoulder. Johnathan Fredrick Dickens, MD was one of the best experiences I have had with a specialist (surgeon) and took time to help is understand his recommendation. We felt heard and feel like he spent quality time with us and gave us the information to make an informed decision about the options. My husband and I were very impressed with bot... Show More
The providers were very helpful, knowledgeable, and respectful
Dr. Dickens took the time to explain the issues with my shoulder and answered all of my questions.
Everyone that I dealt with during my appointment was lovely!
Great experience at Duke. Everyone we encountered was excellent, including scheduling staff, reception, athletic trainer, resident, and Dr. Dickens. Could not be happier with professionalism and expertise.
Initial consultation was great! Particularly liked how Dr. Dickens ordered new tests to review himself. I felt as If he will provide that medical attentiveness that's needed for improvement to my shoulder.
My son was initially scheduled with another provider to be seen for a tear in his shoulder. Dr. Dickens contacted us on a holiday to let us know he specialized in shoulder injuries and that we'd best benefit from seeing him instead of the other provider. Dr. Dickens worked us into his scheduled. Dr. Dickens was absolutely amazing, thorough and very transparent. He made a very intense and stressful situation alot less... Show More
I love Duke! Everyone was pleasant and professional.