The Difference Between an ENT & an Audiologist. Hearing loss affects 10 percent of North Americans, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology. One part of the job of an otolaryngologist, also called an ear-nose-throat (ENT) doctor, is to treat hearing loss and other ear disorders. On the other hand, the job of an audiologist is limited to working with people who have hearing, balance and related ear problems.