Dr. Denia Tapscott is a specialist in Bariatric Medicine. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and is a member of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians (ASBP). Through this organization, Dr. Tapscott attends national conferences and seminars where experts gather to discuss the latest techniques and break-through medications for weight loss.
Dr. Tapscott is a native Washingtonian who graduated from Wilson Senior High School and went on to attend the University of Virginia. She received her medical training at Georgetown University and completed her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Texas, Houston.
After moving back to DC, she joined the private practice of Dr. Lewis Marshall. As she began to take care of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, she grew more and more concerned with the underlying causes — overweight, obesity, and unhealthy lifestyles.

In 2002, she developed a comprehensive medical weight loss program called Personal Touch, PLLC. This business endeavor allowed her to use her medical expertise to treat patients with obesity. With the use of nutritional, behavioral, and exercise counseling as well as medications, Dr. Tapscott has been able to help hundreds of people lose weight and more importantly, improve their overall health.

During this same time, Dr. Tapscott helped develop the Bariatric Surgery Center at a local hospital. As Assistant Director, she worked together with bariatric surgeons to prepare their patients for surgery as well as aid in their continued weight loss after surgery through the Personal Touch approach.

She is currently Assistant Professor of Medicine at Howard University, College of Medicine where she sees patients in a primary care office. She serves on multiple committees within the University to include the Women's Health Institute (WHI) advisory committee. This program was developed to advance health education and research for women of color and provide a conceptual framework in four areas of concentration: healthcare, research, education and advocacy.

Finally, Dr. Tapscott is Program Director of the Howard University Center for Wellness and Weight Loss Surgery. Here, she runs a medical weight loss program to help patients lose weight and develop healthy lifestyles that can last a lifetime. The Center is also involved with obesity research and community outreach.

Back to top