Neuropsychological Services in Pensacola

Our Pensacola Clinic

Neurocognitive Specialty Group’s Pensacola clinic is conveniently located off North Davis Highway, with ready access to I-110/I-10 and nearby hospitals, including Baptist Hospital and Ascension Sacred Heart.

The clinic is directed by Dr. Daniel Proto, a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist who has practiced since 2014. Before entering private practice, he served as a clinical neuropsychologist and director of psychology internship training at Pensacola’s VA Joint Ambulatory Care Center. He practices alongside Dr. Nicholas DenBesten, a fellowship-trained neuropsychologist.

Our office is our own freestanding building at 505 Palisade Rd — NSG is the only occupant — with parking directly outside, including handicap-accessible spaces, and a fully handicap-accessible entrance. We see patients Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and most new evaluations begin in the morning so testing finishes comfortably within the day.

Our Staff

Our doctors are supported on site by Cassie, our Site Coordinator. Cassie coordinates scheduling, records, and day-of logistics for Pensacola patients, and also assists with test administration under our doctors’ supervision.

Neuropsychological & Psychological Evaluations

We provide comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations for adults, assessing memory, attention and concentration, language, visual-spatial skills, and executive functioning. We accept referrals from neurologists, psychiatrists, primary care physicians, psychologists, and other healthcare and mental health professionals for:

• Memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, and age-related cognitive change
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-concussion concerns
• Epilepsy and seizure disorders
• Stroke and other neurological conditions
• ADHD in adults — one of our most common referrals, with evaluations led by Dr. DenBesten
• Pre-surgical candidacy evaluations, including deep brain stimulation and spinal cord stimulators

Every evaluation includes a records review, a clinical interview, standardized testing, and a detailed written report with diagnostic impressions and practical recommendations — delivered to you and your referring provider. Most testing appointments take between three and five hours, and results are available within a week.

Medicolegal Evaluations

We perform various medicolegal services, including independent medical examinations relating to personal injury and disability claims, consultation and record reviews, sports concussion and NFL litigation evaluations, and expert witness testimony. Dr. Proto also conducts criminal forensic evaluations and provides trial consultation in both civil and criminal matters. We are retained by attorneys, insurers, third-party administrators, and government agencies. We do not accept letters of protection or contingency-based fee arrangements, and we do not provide evaluations or letters relating to emotional support animals (ESAs). All work is billed hourly, regardless of case outcome.

FAA & HIMS Evaluations

Dr. Proto is an FAA-approved neuropsychologist performing FAA-required evaluations for pilots and aviation professionals seeking medical certification or recertification, including HIMS program assessments. We work with pilots and Aviation Medical Examiners across the Gulf Coast to support timely certification decisions.

Telehealth Across 40+ States

Through PSYPACT, telehealth appointments are available to patients in more than 40 states — including pre-screening consultations, clinical interviews, follow-ups, feedback sessions, and select assessments via secure, HIPAA-compliant video.

Areas We Serve

In addition to Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, we serve much of the surrounding Gulf Coast region, including Pace, Milton, Navarre, Fort Walton Beach, and Destin in Florida, and Foley, Fairhope, Daphne, Orange Beach, and Mobile across the Alabama line. We regularly see patients referred from Baptist Hospital, Ascension Sacred Heart, Emerald Coast Neurology, HCA Florida West Neurology, Sacred Heart Medical Group, and physicians throughout the Panhandle and lower Alabama.

What to Expect at Your Appointment

Plan to arrive a few minutes early with your photo ID, insurance card, a list of current medications, and any prior imaging, neurology, or psychological records you have. Wear your glasses or hearing aids if you use them, take your medications as usual unless your physician has said otherwise, and eat breakfast — testing can be mentally demanding and we want your best effort. You’re welcome to bring a family member; we often ask a spouse or adult child a few questions, and they can wait comfortably in our lobby during testing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a physician referral?
Yes — clinical evaluations require a physician referral. If you don’t have one yet, call us anyway: we can schedule your appointment and contact your provider to request the referral.

How long does a neuropsychological evaluation take?
Most patients are with us for three to five hours, including the interview and testing.

Do you perform FAA evaluations?
Yes — Dr. Proto is FAA approved and performs FAA neuropsychological and HIMS evaluations for pilots and aviation professionals. These are scheduled and billed separately from clinical evaluations; call us to discuss your situation and timeline.

Will my insurance cover the evaluation?
We accept most major insurance plans, including Medicare, Florida Blue, Aetna, Optum United Healthcare, Evernorth Cigna, Humana, TRICARE East/Humana Military, and others — call us to verify your benefits, or see our billing & insurance page. Forensic, FAA, and medicolegal work is retained and billed separately and is never billed to health insurance.

When will I get my results?
You’ll receive a feedback session and a written report within a week of testing. Your referring physician receives the report as well.

Is the office accessible?
Yes — our building is fully handicap accessible, with parking directly outside including handicap-accessible spaces.