Dr. Ioannis Papayannis

Dr. Papayannis is a highly esteemed gastroenterologist and hepatologist with extensive expertise across nearly every aspect of digestive disease — from complex liver conditions (fatty liver, viral hepatitis, cirrhosis) and inflammatory bowel disease, to challenging functional and motility disorders, and high-quality colon cancer screening.

He graduated with an MD from Athens Medical School — the most prestigious medical school in Greece — with high honors, ranked in the top 1% of his class. He received a scholarship from the National Institution of Scholarships and moved to New York, where he completed a research fellowship in cancer biochemistry at Stony Brook University, focusing on colon and pancreatic cancer prevention. His research has been published in high-quality peer-reviewed journals.

Dr. Papayannis completed his internal medicine residency and gastroenterology & hepatology fellowship at Stony Brook University Hospital. He is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology with exceptional board scores. Following training, he served as Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, where he was also Director of Gastrointestinal Motility Diseases — advancing clinical care, research, mentorship, and curriculum development.

He has practiced in Arkansas for the past two years, seeing patients and performing high-quality endoscopic procedures across Pine Bluff, Little Rock, and Russellville, with inpatient privileges at Conway Regional Hospital and Baptist DeSoto Hospital in Southaven, Mississippi.

Dr. Papayannis has performed well over 15,000 endoscopic procedures and maintains an adenoma detection rate (ADR) of 50% — well above the national average of 38% — an important indicator of high-quality colonoscopy. With endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), polyps of any size can be removed during the initial screening without referral to a specialized center, giving patients confidence that precancerous lesions will not be missed.

His compassionate approach and meticulous technique have earned him a stellar reputation within the gastrointestinal community. He is recognized as one of the most talented gastroenterologists in Arkansas, known for patient-centered care and adoption of innovative endoscopic techniques.