We have been with Dr Moelleken for quite a long time. All of the staff at both Santa Barbara as…read morewell as Santa Maria Offices are amazing. The Doctors listen to what is happening and will push to get things done. We love them and are very appreciative of the care given. Thank you for always taking great care of my wife! Melody and Jackie Diaz

The staff is amazing. They really care about you as a patient. The orthopedic care is great.read more

Dr. Birch. He is wonderful. He has tried to help me with a doctor that messed my knee up really…read morebad. He has done his best to make me well over the last five years. I really appreciate his help. He is a great doctor. I cannot speak for the rest of the people there but I know Dr. Birch is wonderful. I think him a lot. We've been through many surgeries together.

Most of the doctors I have seen over the years at Alta are pretty good. I made an appointment with…read moreDr. Birch (took about a month to obtain a time) and 4 days before the appointment the office tells me that seeing Dr. Birch (altho have seen several Doctors at Alta) constitutes a new doctor visit- which is insane. So now I have to wait an additional month to get an appointment with Dr. Birch . . . why didn't the office tell me that when I made the first appointment??? I have decided NOT to see him and booked an appointment with Dr. Emmerson out on Patterson!

I have been receiving care from Alta Orthopedic since 2020, for my cervical spine. I initially…read morechose pain management from MD Kenly, because I was afraid of surgery. My pain became unbearable, and something needed to change. In August of 2025, MD Wickman performed a 2 level artificial disc replacement at C5-C7. My quality of life improved drastically, with the increased range of motion and decreased pain. Even my posture improved, as I was no longer slouching and curling forward from pain. MD Wickman and every staff member I have encountered at Alta Orthopedic, have been nothing but professional, kind, and supportive. MD Wickman communicates in a direct manner. She is knowledgable, highly skilled as a surgeon, and wraps it with compassion. I have nothing but praise for the care provided by MD Wickman, MD Kenly, and all staff at Alta Orthopedic. My gratitude is unmeasurable!!

Carefully explained my MRI and why I have been having sciatic pain…read more She referred me to another member of Alta to relieve the pain with a shot.

Dr. Hutchinson did a back surgery on me in 1995 when we lived in Santa Barbara. No question he is…read moreone of the best specialists around. My surgery was very successful and I thank him for doing such a good job on me.

Outstanding care. Very happy with surgery and general care. Dr Hutchinson has a good bedside…read moremanner and is responsive to questions. Very pleased.

I have had significant back problems since my accident…read more Scoliosis, severe disc degeneration, severe LBP, etc. I was lucky to find Doctor Alan Moelleken, M.D. ,Dr. Benjamin Dirks D.O. and Dr. Kenneth Nesbett, M.D along with their staff at Spine and Orthopedic Center located in Santa Barbara California. And have two discs fused together, spinal decompression, spinal scoliosis treatment and surgery so far I have been very pleased. Dr. Moelleken and staff did an excellent job to straightening out my back conducting two vertbae fusions and repairing as best as possible at this time severe spinal scoliosis problems in my lower back. The team at the Spine and Orthopedic Center located in Santa Barbara, CA (There 3 office locatons...Bakersfield, Oxnard and Santa Barbara, CA) is one of the best, if not the best locations I have found to get treatment for low back pain and disc degeneration along with scoliosis... surgery was performed and I start physical therapy in a few weeks time. I just want to say that this is an excellent choice for people that have severe low back pain problems no matter what it is and the team there along with the pain management doctors are excellent!! So far I've been very satisfied with the results although I have a long way to go until full recovery as this surgery was just completed in July of this year 2018. This was my 3rd back surgery with the last one being conducted in Santa Barbara, CA. I would highly suggest anybody who is not satisfied with their current medical doctor/surgeon that has low back pain issues to receive a consultation with this group because they are at the top of their field. And unlike most doctors, the doctors here, also have compassion for their patients and their bedside manner is extremely good.... Thank you, Joe Ortega Bakersfield, California

After I posted my initial review, Lauren, an employee at The Spine and Orthopedic Center, contacted…read moreme and promised to address my billing concerns. I provided a detailed explanation of the issues, but I have not received any follow-up communication. This lack of response confirms my suspicions about their billing practices. I strongly advise seeking treatment elsewhere. This facility appears to engage in serious billing misconduct, including charging patients thousands of dollars for improperly billed services. A critical part of their strategy seems to be avoiding insurance billing altogether. Even when you provide your insurance information, they may choose to bill you directly if they believe they can make a larger profit from you as a self-pay patient. I will be reporting these serious billing tactics to the proper regulatory agencies, who will be investigating the matter look out for update

I'm so appreciative of the level of talent, caring and honesty these surgeons have. At 53 years…read moreold, I was rushed to the hospital after a brain hemorrhage and subsequent fall that destroyed my shoulder causing a two part surgery that Doctor Eric Sheppard and Thomas Romero collaborated on to repair. The level of care and efficiency from the office was so professional and the surgery and many follow up visits were positive, informative and incredible helpful. I highly recommend this practice. So grateful to have the ability to strength- train after such a heinous injury to this old body. There is no way I would have been able to do it without their positive support, kindness and (most of all!) surgical talent! Thank you Doctors Sheppard and Romero!

The office contact ability is severely impaired and virtually unusable. Incoming calls to the…read moreoffice is limited with most calls dropped, going to an infinite ring, department transfers disconnect ... major phone system issues. Several reviews express the same and honestly imagine you just had surgery and need followup support from YOUR doctor or the medical team!!? NO Bueno. Messages both voicemail and email go unanswered. Had my chart sent over in less than 24 hours from Ventura Ortho for a second opinion and evaluation here. Appointment with Dr. Romero went well and we rescheduled a surgery consult and prep recall out a few weeks. We just don't feel comfortable proceeding with this medical group when there is NO confidence in receiving responsible access to records or the doctor's office. Potential patients beware... Canceling today and moving forward elsewhere so we can be assured of quality care and a professional medical team.

Dr. Moore treated my back and leg pain with skill and compassion. I came to him after previous…read moretreatment had been ineffective. I was miserable and discouraged, dependent on opioids and unable to sleep normally. He evaluated my condition carefully and offered alternatives for courses of treatment. I opted for a surgical fusion. Nine months later I was opioid free and in a much better way.

Dr. Moore did surgery on my spine. Prior to surgery, I had been in intense pain, unable to stand…read morefor more that a couple of minutes and only able to walk short distances. He spent a lot of time with me carefully evaluating the MRI and matching my physical symptoms in order to confirm his diagnosis. After seven hours of surgery, my pain is gone and my quality of life is so much improved. I have complete confidence that Dr. Moore is the perfect choice for anyone dealing with back pain. Langdon Nevens

I splintered my thumb in multiple pieces a while back. I went to Dr. Kupperman to help fix it…read more Dr. Kupperman was highly professional. He patiently explained the problem and successfully performed the surgery without any problems. Given that my thumb was in such a bad shape when it was broken, I'm impressed that it has practically 100% functionality now. Dr. Kupperman has my trust.

Excellent medical treatment provided by caring, kind Doctor, Physician's Assistant and Medical…read moreAssistant. The scheduling is easy, the wait room is comfortable--but don't get too comfortable, as you'll be called in soon!

Caring, knowledgable, compassionate, thorough and easy to talk to. I trust my loved ones to her…read morecare, and I can think of no greater compliment for a doctor.

As I have worked in healthcare for 48 years I especially appreciate Dr Hurvitz's thorough and…read morethoughtful listening and presentation of my orthopedic needs.

This letter is to commend Dr. Graham Hurvitz, who is a world-class orthopedic surgeon at the Ryu…read moreHurvitz Orthopedic Clinic. Dr. Hurvitz has replaced both of my knees. (Right one in September of 2020 and the left one November 1st, 2021.) For both of them, the pain I had walking into the hospital was greater than all that followed in post-op and including physical therapy and occupational therapy. First, he is a doctor who will listen to you. He has the experience, skills, and knowledge to diagnose correctly the issues and offer the absolute best protocols to be successful in dealing with them. In my case, total knee replacement was the best and only procedure. Dr. Hurvitz is very down-to-earth and will take the time to make sure that you understand everything that will happen and any possible side effects. After each of my knee replacement surgeries, he would come by to answer any questions and to explain how the procedure went. His experience, skills, and surgical procedures enabled both knees to recover quickly and with less pain. In fact, the initial assessment by my home health physical therapist, just four days after the surgery, revealed that I had already met and/or exceeded the goals set by the home health physical therapist to exit their program. This is entirely due to Dr. Hurvitz's advanced procedural skills and protocols that he uses during his surgeries. I had positive outcomes for both knees demonstrating that he is consistent with his work as well. I highly recommend Dr. Hurvitz for any Orthopedic work. He is more than just a world-class orthopedic surgeon; he is an Artist of the Bones. Respectfully submitted, Mike A. Preslik Exeter, California