If I could give this dr zero stars I would...she treated my daughter and I a few years ago and I found her to be one of the coldest, rudest heartless physicians I have ever met and I have worked with Drs for the last 45 years!!! absolutely a horrible person...GO ELSEWHERE read more

Dr. Dreeben diagnosed and performed a syndesmosis surgery on my ankle and broken shin a few years ago using a TightRope™ Fixation. I am 60, still working full-time, and I play a lot of competitive tennis. Other, so called, orthopedic specialists told me I was fine, and I did not have a syndesmosis injury and missed diagnosed my broken leg. They told me to get used to being sedimentary and forget about playing tennis. Dr. Dreeben saved me from a future of pain and suffering. The ankle she worked on is even better and more stable that the one that was not injured! She even cleaned up, removed scare tissue and repaired injuries I sustained in high school. Amazing! read more

Intelligent and humble. She made a mistake documenting my record and I happened to catch it. I mentioned it and she genuinely appreciated it. I appreciated that a doctor is not pompous and all ego! It was a small mistake so don't worry that you need to be watching over her shoulder for every typo! LOL! I liked that she approached my foot issue with options. I have had 4 doctors regarding this tendon issue and she is the only one who gave me options. She is a foot specialist and the other doctors blatantly said they didn't know what it is (even after MRI's!) and to go to another doc then another doc and then finally I found Dr. Dreeben. Ahhhh... we learn a lot though experience.... from here on out - primary care then directly to specialist for the specific parts! The office is super high tech! I had to fill out my new patient paperwork on a tablet. They are located in a very confusing building complex by UCSD La Jolla.... give yourself time to find it! The front door of the office is accessible from the upper lever parking lot side of the two buildings. Don't go down the stairs. read more

I concur completely with Kelly L. This is one of the worst doctors i have ever been to. The beside manner of a robot programmed to be rude, cold, and obtuse. Been three times (out of neccessity) and made to wait 45, 50, and 44 minutes, with no apology. Dr. does not listen, does not make eye contact, is in a big hurry, and charges significantly more than the other similar doc i went to for similar office visits, but hers are shorter and basically a waste of time.. Worse, is that it turns out a gf of mine, who is a ballet dancer, had her career ended after surgery with this woman. Pleaaaase, if you need foot or ankle surgery, do not trust this woman. read more

I forgot to update this review. I did write to the office manager in detail (not an overview as was here in yelp). There was no response. I am prompted to add to the review as a colleague just told me about a bad experience with this doctor. I work on my feet- many coworkers have visited her. I do not recommend her. There are more bad stories than good. I'm sure she doesn't care about bad reviews as she is probably taking in $$$ hand over fist- and she doesn't seem like the type to care. read more

Hello dr dreeben you might not remember me. Hope so since you ruined about 5 years of my life. Thanks for that by the way.

I had hallux rigidus in both feet - a very severe, painful condition in which the big toe joints are arthritic and essentially locked into a flat position. While I understand the perception of her as rather cold, uninvolved, and rushed, I saw a different side of her. At first, upon looking at X-rays of my right foot, she suggested that one of the only options was permanent bone fusion - a horrible operation that no one should have unless it is the absolute last resort. I was visibly upset to hear this (you would be too), and she completely changed her attitude and suggested that I get an MRI of the joint before we decide what type of surgery to have. For those of you who aren't medically inclined, MRI's give a 3-dimensional map of the complete topography of whatever is being imaged. The X-ray just made the joint look like a lump of cauliflower. The MRI revealed that I had enough cartilage left in the joint to try the less severe operation (bone removal) before bone fusion. I saw 3 more doctors, and she was the ONLY one who suggested looking a little deeper by having the MRI. All other doctors said there was no hope and that I should just have bone fusion. She also saved me from the podiatrists who wanted to put in an artificial joint, which likely would failed within 7 years, after which the joint and surrounding bone would be irreparable. Also, I disagree with the assessment of the staff in these reviews. I never waited more than 15 minutes for an appointment, and the staff was very accommodating before, during, and after the surgery. Also, immediately after the surgery, Dr. Dreeben approached my wife who was in the waiting room at the Surgery Center, sat down right next to her, and talked to her for about 10 minutes. My wife said she was very friendly, positive, and warm, while other doctors just walked in, didn't sit down, and said about 3 sentences to patients' relatives. As with any surgery, I recommend getting as many opinions as you have the time and money for, but out of 4 different doctors, I chose Dr. Dreeben, and that says something. While she may seem somewhat aloof and uninvolved, I don't really care so much about that as I do her competency and experience with the type of surgery I was to have, and she has several publications on my particular condition. I think she just thrives in the operating room - not so much in the office. Give her a chance, and do your research before jumping into any surgical procedure. read more

The staff is rude and disrespectful. Wait time including time in the patient room, easily over 45 minutes. If you want to be treated like a human, go else where. This review is in regards to Foot MD: 4130 La Jolla Village Dr. Ste 300 read more

I was recommended to Dr. Dreeben in 2010 when I broke my foot pretty badly. My radiographs were difficult to really see how bad the fractures were and whether or not enough congruence was left to allow union. I saw Dr. Dreeben and she was very honest, clear, and easy to understand. She recommended not having surgery, but instead to invest in patience. I knew I would never ever be 100% the way I was before the injury, I just hoped I would be able to run again. It took several months for the union to occur, but it did. After several months of rehab and getting back into shape, I was able to walk again, and about 8 months after walking, I ran a 50K. I will be honest and tell you I still run, just not nearly as much as I used to, not since my love for cycling grew out of the injury! Her laid back nature, matter of fact honesty, and willingness to be conservative when everyone else (including me) was willing to rush ahead and do surgery without thinking about the potential consequences has stuck with me in my own practice (physical therapist). Thank you Dr. Dreeben. read more

Dr. Dreeban is a great doctor. Her staff were also all nice and friendly people to me both over the phone and in person. I don't know where the bad reviews come from as nothing about my experience had those bad traits. Cost was competitive for the area. I have two broken metatarsals (2nd and 3rd, one was an ugly break) and was told I would need immediate surgery from ER/Urgent Care doctors and a family doctor. They're not specialists and were vague on why I needed surgery and didn't really know specifically what that surgery I would need. Dr. Dreeban looked at my x-rays and put it in easy terms, "If this was my foot I would wait for surgery. If you wait it will most likely heal fine by itself and if it does not you'll still need [the same surgery] anyway. Odds are it will heal fine in 6 weeks and you do not need surgery." That right there is why you pay for Dr. Dreeban even if you pay extra. +1 for being a professional and telling me what I actually needed to know. My neighbor is also a doctor, specifically a radiologist, and after looking at my x-rays he recommended Dr. Dreeban to get that final opinion. She isn't his friend, my neighbor has had 4 foot surgeries and he said she did the best job and is now his go-to . +1 for getting a doctor-to-doctor recommendation based on your work. Staff called me back promptly, were informative over the phone, and were polite in person. They were nice to me even though I forgot my forms like an idiot. I waited less than 10 minutes. PA got me to my room, asked me questions about my injury, and helped me understand my incredibly complicated insurance situation before the doctor got there. +1 for the staff and low wait times. +1 for the extra mile of help to figure out my insurance. I'm disappointed by the low reviews on here as they are split between the staff and the doctor's bedside manner. The staff was nice to me. That was a great perk but I'm there for the doctor and Dr. Dreeban was an awesome doctor for me. I wanted specifics, options, and a clear opinion. I got everything I wanted. She also had a better boot at a lower price than other places tried to charge me . If you want the right call about surgery for your foot then call Dr. Dreeban, in my case she was definitely worth paying for. I wil update my review later if anything changes! read more

I want to update this review post surgery with Dr. Dreeban. Getting a second opinion from Dr. Dreeban and then having her do the second surgery on my foot was the best decision I've made in a long time. 2 months post surgery and my foot has already healed MORE than 10 months after my last surgery in January 2015. I finally see light at the end of the tunnel and I'm on my way to getting my life back. Everyone at this practice is so pleasant and easy going. I highly recommend Dr. Dreeban and her medical practice for your orthopedic needs. read more

Stay away! I have severe osteoarthritis in multiple joints in both of my feet. She told me it would burn itself out and sent me for MLS laser treatments to the tune of almost $800. Guess they had to pay the machine off! This therapy is not intended for arthritis at all as I have learned. Bottom line I have assembled a great team of truly professional physicians a rheumatologist, foot specialist and ortho foot and ankle specialist to properly treat my condition and am on my way to hopefully 90% resolution pain wise. read more

I went to dr Dreeban with an achilles tendon tear that worsened under the care of a previous physican. I found her thorough in her review of the MRI and followed by an xray which showed an additional small fx. She was sensitive and realistic in her recommendations in travel, healing,and prognosis. I appreciated that she didnt immediately suggest surgery but a thourough explanation of what i should and shouldnt do with additional orthopedic boot. I appreciated understanding all the options. My injury is improving and i feel optimistic. I find her supportive and informative and her staff have been friendly and easy to make appointments etc. She is definitely the dr to go to for honest and excellent care. read more

Worst. Surgical. Practice. Ever. Due to a traumatic injury in my early 30's, I have had SEVEN surgeries on the same foot and ankle. Dr. Dreeben is the sixth surgeon on my list, so you kinda gotta figure that I know what I'm talking about here. What brought me to Dr. Dreeben for my surgery in 2015 was a positive surgical experience that I had with her former partner, who relocated to Denver in 2010. There are many things I could say about my triple hind-foot fusion surgical experience but, long story short, it was not successful. The fact that it did not succeed does not reflect on the doctor at all - but I do wish she had been honest with me about the fact that it had not healed well. I had to find out about the failure a year-and-a-half later from my podiatrist. I would give Dr. Dreeben a "C" for this reason. The real crux of this review is to warn patients about Synergy Specialists medical billing, which is a recurring nightmare. Seriously, I would have paid for this surgery twice if I had trusted their billing, which (I might add) is very difficult for a layman to figure out...and the biller will not explain it and cannot be bothered to audit it to see if you have a point. Egregious errors include: 1. Not providing a clear and understandable medical bill; 2. Not crediting the account with all payments made by the patient; and 3. Not communicating about the account with the patient, regardless of numerous attempts by the patient to reach the biller for a civil discussion. I finally resorted to pounding both the doctor and her biller with certified mail, with proof of payment from my bank, and documented where they had credited the same $50 payment FIVE times, just to prove the total ineptitude. The surgery occurred in Nov. 2015. It is now June 2017, and I have finally stopped receiving bills from her office after proving that they now owe ME money. I have demanded a bill that shows zero balance due but I doubt I will ever get it, much less see any medical records from her office. They have a "tit for tat" mentality and I do believe they are holding a grudge. With this in mind, I am hanging onto every shred of evidence of my financial fight with her office...in perpetuity. A doctor is only as good as her support staff. That being said, save yourself considerable stress and find a doctor who is not part of the Synergy group. read more

PLEASE STAY AWAY! I hate to write negative reviews, but this woman ruined my life. I had bi-lateral calcaneal fractures-all she wanted to do was fuse them and operate way too soon... It was a terrible experience. I kept telling her they were not healed, but yet I was told I could walk on them. I finally ordered my own xrays and MRIs because she wouldn't order them, and they proved that the bones had not fused. I spent years in a wheel chair and on crutches until I found a doctor that actually knew what they were doing. Not only that, she was terrible to her staff. Ice queen- just awful. She'll probably just tell you to change the shoes you are wearing. PLEASE DON'T GO DOWN THIS ROAD IF YOU HAVE A SERIOUS CONDITION. Go to Seattle at Harborview Medical and see the best there is, you won't regret it. I can actually walk now because of the Harborview doctor (s) Best wishes everyone. read more

Simply put, do not go. She did surgery without ever taking an exray. Only after, in a follow up appointment when I told her the surgery didn't seem to have made a difference as I was still in pain and asked if my problem (diagnosed as a neuroma) could be something else did she say "wait a minute while I check the Xray". I sat there stunned, knowing that she never took an X-ray and why, if there was a possibility of it being something else that could have been detected by an X-ray, why didn't she rule that out before recommending surgery??? After a minute she came back, stuck her head in the room and asked me..."Did I take an Xray"? Then she tried to blame me for the pain saying that I was wearing the wrong shoes. I couldn't believe my ears because the shoes I was wearing were brand-new expensive lace-up shoes that she herself recommended. This was many years ago. To this day I still cannot put any pressure on the ball of my left foot. The surgery was a total waste of time and money. read more

They did a great job and excellent bedside manner. I know my injury wasn't an easy one to take care of and I was worried I might have to have invasive surgery and have pins put in my foot. They took a better look and found that I didn't need pins, if I was carful I could heal nicely with a boot. Noticing I had no insurance they helped me out on how much I would pay for the entire visit. read more

I needed expert medical attention for 3 hammer toes on right foot (my toes looked like they all were turning left at the first knuckle). I couldn't wear shoes, walk or drive without pain. I was referred to Dr Dreeben and Dr Griffin in July and had surgery to repair my crooked toes and I am happy to say my toes look great ! And I have no pain ! I am so thankful that I was referred to Dr Dreeben and Dr Griffin, both doctors are so nice in explaining your diagnosis, treatment and after care. I would highly recommend a visit to their office so you can meet the doctors and their awesome staff; Alicia, Khaun and Tom! You will leave their office knowing you are in expert professional hands. Marguriette B. read more

I have had an excellent experience with Dr. Dreeben and her staff. I had my right ankle replaced by her. All my dealings with her staff have been positive and solicitous. Dr. Dreeben gave me excellent advice and offered alternatives for fixing my arthritic ankle, but I chose to have it replaced. The procedure and post-op treatment went smoothly. I recommend Dr. Dreeben to anyone who wants excellent treatment and care. read more

I had an ankle fusion in 2012 This doctor knows her stuff and is so smart. Unlike the negative reviews that are written on yelp I say GO to Dr Dreeben. She's brilliant read more

Dr. Sharon Dreeben is an exceptional foot and ankle specialist. With over 30 years of experience in the field. I went to her thinking I would have to get a steel plate removed from an old injury. After a few tests she determined that that would not be necessary. Just a simple cortisone shot fixed my problem and the pain immediately went away. She is an angel.... I had endured that pain for years, and now it's gone! I highly recommend her! read more

Dr. Dreeben did a terrible job on my cheiloctomy. The job was so poorly done that when wrapping the foot, it was wrapped too tight and broke the bone below the small toe on the other side of my foot. The original operations needs to be redone as well as the small toe. I asked her if she would pay my deductible. She said NO! Stay away from this doctor. Larry LaHaye read more

As a physician, I can discern diagnostic and execution of plan skills pretty well, being on both sides of the exam table. This lady is at the top of her game, highly respected among peers, and really has no equal. She does the right thing at the right time for the right reason to the right person in the right way with the right feeling, the first time. Be assured. read more

As an RN, i will tell you Dr. Dreeben is excellent. i broke three bones in my foot. She has worked with me to keep me out of surgery. She squeezed me into a very busy schedule at the last minute, even though i was not a previous patient. Sorry if i made someone else wait due to that. But know if you are the one who needs her, she is there for you too! She is a very busy doctor, so having time to visit for a long time - forget it. Not to mention now Ovomitcare wants doctors not to spend any time with the patients as then the government has to pay for extended visits. I haven't waited longer than 15 minutes in follow up visits. But i would wait an hour for her. I was recommended to Dr. Dreeben by a doctor who is top in his field and would not recommend me to a bad doctor. read more

I went to a Podiatrist who recommended I go to an Orthopedic surgeon. I went to the Orthopedic Surgeon who recommended I go to a Foot and Ankle Specialist. I ended up with Dr. Dreeben and I am glad. Finally someone that know's what she is talking about. Her PA was great too. She needs to get a new receptionist though. You know that saying about first impressions. The receptionist is your first impression and she does not give a good one. Also parking is very pricey and they definitely do not validate. read more

I heard nothing but good things about her. She's very smart and probably very skilled but I have a really messed up right foot after two bunion and hammertoe surgeries with her. I wish she'd been more compassionate and owned up to mistakes she made. I have a pinky toe that might need to be amputated and I need treatment for bad foot pain due to complications from less than perfect decisions made by her on how to do my revision surgery after the first bunion surgery failed. Her PA is overworked and cold and customer service is poor. read more

Dr. Dreeban recently performed surgery on my foot to repair a broken metatarsal. I reviewed the most recent X-rays which revealed a professional and skilled repair of the tarsal and I appear on my way to a complete recovery. In years past Dr. Dreeban has performed two other surgeries on my ankles. I experienced the same quality of care and results. I recommend this orthopedic surgeon for your feet care needs. Her staff is great and Tom the x-ray technician is always helpful and courteous. read more

Would not recommend this place if you value your feet. Went in for surgery to repair achilles and heel bone. A few months after surgery after following doctor's advice developed infection in foot which lead to tissue and osteomyelitis (bone infection). Finally got fed up with proper treatment or lack thereof and found a different clinic who repaired the damage that was caused. If I had not found the other clinic I could possibly be in the situation of losing my lower foot due to infection that was not agressively treated read more

I was referred to this office from a professional in the field. What I have experienced thus far is a totally overworked or understaffed office. I went in once to see the Dr. after breaking two metatarsals, I was prescribed no surgery, in a boot and crutches with foot elevated for 6 weeks. Since then I have had the worst experience with the staff. Khanh was very knowledgeable and seriously seems to be running the show, efficient to the point of speed over accuracy. After weeks of battling with them to send the documentation over to my insurance company for a workmans comp claim, they sent incorrect documentation. They rarely answer the phone and when they do they pass the buck to someone else. After numerous attempts to get an email address to communicate with them and be able to document the daily, sometimes multiple daily calls, there isn't one. I finally received one for billing. Alicia@footmd.org. She is the only one who works M-F. The others only work a couple days a week so nobody knows what is going on over there. It's really frustrating and stressful to have such inadequate help from a Dr.'s office when you are in need of nothing but help. Hoping the Dr. is good as that is my primary concern. If you don't want to deal with the office inadequacies and paperwork hassle don't go there. I will update as I go along. read more

Not recommended. This doctor never provided all of the intermediate-level treatment options (which I have now discovered that there are multiple) before opting for surgery. read more

Avoid. I have severe heel pain. I got an X-ray, all looks good. Then she "gave" me a shoe insert to try, and handed me a stack of papers listing all of the things that could be causing the pain. The heel insert did nothing, but I did receive a bill for $40 for this EVEN THOUGH SHE DID NOT BOTHER TO TELL ME SHE WAS CHARGING ME FOR IT. I do not appreciate that in the least since she didn't know what was wrong and just handed me something to "try". I called her office, but they wouldn't budge even when I said I would return the item since it did nothing for me. They said they couldn't accept a return. I don't know what gives them the right to "GIVE" a patient something without telling them they are going to bill them and that their insurance might not cover it. So, for a specialist, I received ZERO help. She did nothing for me even though this is her specialty... read more

I had a broken ankle and needed the care of an orthopedist. I was so disappointed by Dr. Dreeben. I was referred to her by a friend who had a positive experience, so I was looking forward to the same. She spent less than 5 minutes with me on my first visit. She did not answer any of my questions, but instead rushed me out the door. On my second visit, I was hoping for more time with Dr. Dreeben as I had many questions regarding my recovery procedures, prognosis and returning to work. Unfortunately, she spent only about 5 minutes with me again. She stared at the computer screen the majority of the time, barely acknowledging that I was in the room. She volunteered no useful information, and her responses to all of my questions were not informative, helpful or accompanied by eye contact. I felt like I was in the hands of a robot following a script instead of a knowledgeable and caring medical professional. I was disappointed to learn that Dr. Dreeben does not treat her patients with the care and respect they deserve. I subsequently found an amazing orthopedist, Dr. Sonya Ahmed at UCSD, and I highly recommend her. read more

I'm very surprised at the bad reviews. Dr. Dreeben is very professional and caring. I was currently being seen by another podiatrist who was very buddy-buddy type, who I felt comfortable with until he would not believe the pain I was experiencing post surgery. He insisted "I was nuts", continuing to inject my toe & he even read an MRI wrong. SO this said, sometimes the personality does not mean the Dr. is great. Dr. Dreeben immediately xrayed my toe, and she saw a fracture. She scheduled me for a CT scan as well to make absolutely sure that this was the issue. Sure enough I have a fracture in the toe that was operated on by my previous doc. If you give her a chance, she does warm up. She is wonderful and I am being treated for my fracture. Also, I had no problem with the office staff on my visit. I only waited 5 minutes over my appointment time. BTW, @thulasi, why would you choose a Dr. who ruined your bf's ballet career?? Or why would your bf go there when you say Dr. Dreeben is awful?? read more

I had the dreaded bunion-hammer toe surgery that involved 4 toes -- pretty extensive. I had been told by everyone who had had the surgery or knew someone who had had it that it was unbelievably painful. I was really worried because I live alone, in a two-story home, with a dog, and I was worried about being able to handle the pain. I arranged to stay with a friend the first few days and am delighted to report I did not have significant pain. In fact, by mistake, my friend gave me only half the recommended dosage of the pain medication and it was still not bad. Maybe it was me, but it was more likely the work of a good surgeon that I didn't have a lot of pain. read more

Had a fracture dislocation of my foot that was missed by two other orthopedic surgeons and a radiologist at a major hospital here. Went to Dr Dreeben on the recommendation of some other doctors. She quickly diagnosed the fracture and showed me why it is often missed Had surgery to repair it and am very happy with the result. Thank you and definitely recommend read more

I Have seen Dr. Sharon M Dreeben on June 7 2011, Had to Waite 1 hr pass appt. time without any apology ,Office staff very rude and DISRESPECTFUL. I was in LOTS OF PAIN and was told one week or two I would get A nerve test and A MRI. I called, 6 times, I AM IN PAIN WHEN are you guys going help me.I called again on July 29 th 11:30 AM and was TOLD THEY FORGOT ABOUT ME. IF You Care About Your Health DO NOT SEE THIS DOCTOR OR OFFICE STAFF read more

Dr. Dreeben is a highly respected orthopedic surgeon. Podiatrist/ general orthopedic conveniently located in San Diego.

Dr. Dreeben is an excellent surgeon. I had a bunion removed and she did a great job. I have waited until all follow-ups are over before posting my review. Kahn, her PA is excellent! I would recommend Dr. Dreeben to anyone. read more

Fantastic Doctor and fantastic staff. After an unsuccessful ankle fusion by another physician and being out of work for over a year I began extensive research. I read review upon review and studied endless credentials for ankle specialists in southern California. I decided to choose Dr. Dreeben. I made an appointment and was seen a week later. The office staff were very friendly and efficient. When I met Dr. Dreeben I instantly felt at ease. She was very straight forward and explained my options very thoroughly. She treated me like a human and not a number which was a nice change. After setting up a surgery date her staff was very thorough in preparing me. A PA named Khan called me and explained the process very clearly. She mailed all of the necessary information to me including a prescription for all necessary meds following the surgery. Any paperwork that I needed for insurance purposes etc. was faxed to me immediately. I've never seen such professionalism from an office staff. On the day of the surgery each member of the team came and introduced themselves and explained their part. Dr. Dreeben explained every detail of the surgery and put me at ease. Following the surgery Dr. Dreeben actually found my wife in the waing area, sat down and filled her in on the details of the surgery and what to expect when I return home. Who does that? After I returned home from the surgery Dr. Dreeben called me personally from her cell phone to see how I was doing. I am so very pleased with her and her staff I just can't say enough good about them. I was in an auto accident 5 years ago and broke my back in two places, my sternum, my skull, both ankles, a compound tib fib fracture, tendons ripped from my left hand, a dislocated shoulder and multiple lacerations. Needless to say I have seen dozens of specialists over the past 5 years and know what I'm talking about. I would recommend her to anyone. The negative comments on this page have absolutely no merit and are a bit ridiculous. I have never written a review before but was so pleased that I really wanted to let everyone else know. Hopefully this will help someone in finding the right doctor. I know how hard it is. read more

Fairly simple foot issue. On top of the 45 minute waiting room waits and rude staff ended up with post op infection. Toe healed short. She didn't have a lot to say about it. I've never felt as disregarded. Sought additional care from my internal medicine doctor when it wasn't clearing up. He took care of it. After 8 years am finally feeling brave enough to go back and have someone attempt to fix what she did. Was floored to see the reviews. Thought I'd had a unique experience. Should have known. read more