Benard P Dreyer MD

Dr. Dreyer is a general and development-behavioral pediatrician who has spent his professional lifetime serving poor children and families. Professor of Pediatrics at NYU, he leads the Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, is Director of Pediatrics at Bellevue Hospital, and also works as a hospitalist. He was Interim Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at NYU from 2004-2005 and from 2007-2008. He is now President of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). For over 30 years he led a primary care program at Bellevue, including co-located mental and oral health services and clinics in homeless shelters. His research is focused on interventions in primary care to improve early childhood outcomes, including early brain development and obesity.

Dr. Dreyer has been AAP NY Chapter 3 President, and a member of the Committee on Pediatric Research and the Executive Committee of the Council on Communications and Media. He Co-Chaired the AAP Health Literacy Project Advisory Committee, including editing the AAP publication Plain Language Pediatrics. He has served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Section on LGBT Health and Wellness.  As President-Elect, he is taking a leadership role in the AAP’s Strategic Priority on Poverty and Child Health. Dr. Dreyer was president of the Academic Pediatric Association (APA), and founded and chairs the APA Task Force on Childhood Poverty and the APA Research Scholars Program.  He also hosts a weekly radio show on the Sirius XM Doctor Radio Channel, On Call for Kids.