I have been a patient of Dr. Dotz for over 10 years and can truly say that visiting his practice feels like family. My surgical oncologist referred me to him following a serious melanoma diagnosis and I found Dr. Dotz to be an extremely thorough and supportive doctor. Not only does he conduct detailed skin exams but he always expresses interest in what is going on with my oncology treatment plans and we frequently share updates and articles of mutual interest related to melanoma. Whenever I have ever had a mole or skin lesion removed, Dr. Dotz is always very careful to facilitate a good result with a minimum of scarring. He is excellent in providing a detailed overview of an issue and offers options for the patient to consider. The staff is the best - always very prompt, kind, and supportive. There is good reason why he is recognized as a top dermatologist in the area and I feel fortunate to have him as part of my health care team. read more

Horrible! Let's start from the fact that they have appointments only five months ahead. This is a dermatologist that should see patients while symptoms exist and without letting patients wait for at least five months. read more

I've been Dr. Dotz' patient for about 8 years. He's very direct, and thorough. I have a high level of trust in him as a doctor. He has diagnosed many basal cell cancers on my face, and has put me on proactive theraputic regimens that will help me produce fewer of them in the future. He's very serious about what he does. He also listens and understand that I, also, know a fair amount about changes in my skin. He's one of the good ones. I feel lucky. read more

One of the most thorough, respectful, and patient doctors I've ever had. Some appointments will run long because he takes the time to discuss treatment options at length, answer questions, and explain the physiology of what's happening in your skin. Has a bit of an east coast air about him and may appear a little blunt, but I take it as direct. I have no question that I am taken care of when in his office. read more

I have seen Dr. Dotz regularly for several years, because of recurring actinic keratoses and two basal cell carcinomas. A few weeks ago I went in for my regular checkup. I hadn't noticed anything to check, but Dr. Dotz looked at my arm and noticed a tiny raised "thing" and said he thought it was a squamous cell carcinoma or a basal cell carcinoma. I said I hadn't even noticed it. He biopsied the little raised section and it was a squamous cell carcinoma which he subsequently removed. If I hadn't gone in, figuring I had nothing to look at, I would have been in trouble. He is an excellent diagnostician. Marisa Samuels read more

Dr. Dotz is thorough, meticulous, educates patients about all things skin related- with photos and research studies in hand. He is a rare physician in solo practice because he refuses to compromise patient care and his integrity in a managed-care environment. Oh and he saves lives by finding that little skin change that shouldn't be allowed to grow any further! Let's keep him in practice. read more

TRUST ME and read. It started out like an encounter with someone very organized and methodical. A list of what he would do for my skin to assess and treat it (1,2,3). It quickly moved to me struggling to cope with his controlling and rigid manner. I asked a quick question about #2 on the list. We were on #1. He shamed me! I shook my head and he shamed me some more! For some reason (perhaps it was connected to my childhood! and definitely involved concern about coverage), I returned for a 2nd checkup, thinking I might be able to cope with him...at that appointment (or should I call it an "incident"?) his response when I asked "what might a good skin lotion be" (aging skin et al) was a sort of peculiar, visceral, intense volcanic outrage that my question was not on the agenda and NOT a topic he would EVER discuss. Huh? Whaht? Ok, then. Shame your patients? The experience, for me, was SO out of line with appropriate professional rapport that I am writing my first review of anything anywhere. I am still shocked. I hope I never see him on the street. The thought makes me cringe. I think I will call him Psycho Skin Man. read more

First off, let me just summarize by saying that I found Dr. Dotz to be a condescending, rude, conceited megalomaniac who seems to have some kind of personality disorder. In my opinion he is also likely perpetrating Medicare fraud by his modus operandi of stretching his so-called "treatment" over numerous visits when one or two at the most would suffice. He gives long speeches complaining about patients who rightly expect to be treated for their complaints - not one at a time at each visit (even for quickly resolved symptomatic problems) as he insists - but for as many as possible at a times. If he would simply do his job and not waste the time allotted for a patient's office visit with speeches about himself, patients who annoy him, criticizing other doctors, etc. there would no need for multiple follow-up office visits. Let me briefly describe my actual experience during my two visits to Dr. Dotz's office. (Note: I have no intention of seeing him again.) I was seeking treatment because my primary care physician wanted a dermatologist to check out what he thought might be suspicious mole on my back and I had a history of basal cell carcinoma. I also had some other less serious chronic skin complaints that any reasonable dermatologist would be able & willing to deal with at the same time. On my first visit, after the obligatory "nice to meet you", Dr. Dotz began a crude, condescending lecture about how his negative Yelp reviews were baloney, how some patients he sees expect too much from him at each visit, what a great dermatologist he is, and how he has enough patients & does not need me to be a new one. All this without letting me get a word in edgewise. It was like he was warning me not to contradict him in any way and to go along with any and everything he decided. Frankly, my immediate impression was that this guy is a real jerk. Despite my temptation to just get up and leave his examining room & office, I decided to give him a chance - maybe he was having a bad day or was "on the rag" or something. So after wasting a good portion of my allotted visit time with his opening diatribic monologue Dr. Dotz did a very quick cursory visual scan of my body looking for suspicious moles or growths. He opined that the growth was not cancer but did a small biopsy just to make sure (and, I now suspect, also to be able to hike up his fee for the visit). He also took scrapings of what might have been a fungus infection on 2 nails. At that point he terminated my visit and stated that he will deal with my other symptomatic complaints at the next office visit. In the interim he would call me with the biopsy results (which he did - they were negative for cancer). At the next office visit 2 weeks later, Dr. Dotz started off by stating that he would only deal with my nail issue at this session and that he would deal with my other issues during subsequent visits. The way he stated it, it became quite clear that Dr. Dotz saw in me a goldmine of Medicare & secondary insurance claims for him to milk. To his apparent surprise & dismay, I asserted myself telling him in no uncertain terms I had no intention of allowing him to turn my dermatological problems (none of them serious enough to warrant repeated visits) into a longterm care situation. Well, hearing this, his demeanor immediately changed into that of a spoiled child who was told he couldn't have any more candy. He once again began another condescending monologue, turned his back to me, and began to pretend to write treatment notes in my file while he regained his composure. By the time he turned around to resume the treatment session, there was little time left to do much else - he had again wasted most of the office visit time. I asked Dr. Dotz what the results of the nail scraping done at the 1st office visit were and he stated that there was no fungus. He then indicated that he had planned to spend this entire 2nd session explaining to me in detail how fungus can affect nail growth and not address any other matters (and charge another $350 + for his services). I then asked if he could simply tell me if my nail will ever grow back on its own, he answered that he simply did not know. That matter settled, Dr. Dotz then begrudgingly did some more skin scaping in a couple of areas where I have had chronic itching. In doing so, he had me lie naked on the examining room table. As soon as I removed my shorts, for no apparent urgent reason, he went to the door and had his female medical assistant come into the room. My guess is that Dr.Dotz did this simply to embarrass me - perhaps in his mind it was punishment for my opposing his unacceptable treatment schedule.. The assistant's facial expression when she saw that I was naked suggested to me that this was not a routine way of doing things. After the skin scraping, Dr. Dotz dismissed me saying he would see me again in 3 weeks. Hell will freeze over before I waste any more time with him! read more

I had the same experience as 2 others - I work in health care and find him unacceptable as a physician - offered me a treatment without me asking about it, which I did not appreciate. read more

I had been seeing Dr. Dotz for years until I recently changed dermatologists. I could deal with Dr. Dotz's direct and business-like bedside manner. That was not truly an issue for me. My biggest complaint with Dr. Dotz was that he never viewed my skin as one complete system. He compartmentalized everything! If I was there for a cancer check, I had better not direct his attention to flaky toe fungus - that would require a separate appointment! Nevertheless, I kept seeing Doctor Dotz until the day my ophthalmologist said, "Well, people like you who have Roseacea often have eye involvement." I had long suspected that I had Roseacea. Even as a child people always commented on my rosy cheeks. (Come on, we've all seen the commercials and read Wikipedia!!!) You would think that a "great" dermatologist like Dr. Dotz would have brought that up in one of my many, many, many regular skin checks, even if I had to come back in a separate appointment to discuss it further. read more

I think Dr. Dotz is great at checking moles and doing skin surgery. His manner is a bit chilly and his front desk staff were unfriendly. He also tries to turn one visit into two. I switched to Dr. Ervin Epstein in Oakland who is just as competent but with a friendlier manner. read more

Pardon my gushiness. With fair skin and some moles, I get annual checks or go if things look weird to me. I esp. like that: * Dr. Dotz is very knowledgeable, and passionate about explaining things; * he uses one of those hand-held lights (Optical Coherence Tomography?) to help tell when something is just a routine cherry mole and reduce unnecessary biopsies; * all the staff members are highly capable/professional and have been there a good while. I had a small (1/8 of pencil eraser?) thing that looked like a pimple with a bit of a scab on it. I didn't remember well, but thought it was there for a while, not healing at the rate I expected and possibly rescabbing. It didn't look like the scary "what to look for" photos, but I decided it was best to get it checked. Dr. Dotz said the pattern of blood vessels he saw through his device looked suspicious. Since I wasn't sure how long it was there, we reserved a biopsy date in case it didn't go away quickly. I went back for biopsy and later for the results. When it turned out to be cancerous, Dr. Dotz went well above the excellent level of care I would have even thought to expect. As usual, at every step, he thoroughly explained the possibilities, my options, his recommendations and his reasoning. The following all happened on the day I went back for the biopsy results:: * I had basal cell carcinoma on my forehead, infiltrative type with possible perineural involvement indicating that it might be growing along a nerve (hopefully not reaching body parts I may someday have use for, such as my brain or eyes). * He recommended Mohs type surgery (helps minimize how much extra skin has to be removed, and I think also better checks borders to hopefully get it all). He described the process so I'd have an idea of what to expect. * He and his staff checked insurance possibilities for me (SFSU vs. Alta Bates). Dr. Dotz provided recommendations for a specific surgeon at each organization. He seems like a "tough grader" about what labs he sends to and who he recommends, so I highly value a recommendation from Dr. Dotz. * He also gave recommendations about how quickly I should get the surgery in case one was scheduling too far out. Although the SFSU scheduling machinery was outside his control, he said he'd reach out to the non-SFSU doc about expediting a consultation (Dr. Dotz called me personally, I believe that same evening or possibly the next day, to confirm that the doc he called could expedite a consult as early as the following weekday, and Dr. Dotz again checked in and asked if I have any questions). Getting a skin cancer diagnosis is, um, stressful. Esp. not knowing how far the "roots" branch out underneath. But getting all this helpful information right away, and the quick consult with the surgeon, helped a lot. I liked both surgeons after doing a consultation with each and getting their opinion. I opted for SFSU due primarily to insurance considerations and was happy with the decision (I suspect I would have been happy with either surgeon). Dr. Dotz suggested I schedule a visit several weeks after. The stitch line/scar runs vertically down the middle of my forehead, about 2 inches long, from hairline near widow's peak to the space between the top of my eyebrows (they couldn't give me a lightning bolt; I asked). I had asked the SFSU resident who removed my stitches (the doctor in charge of the surgery was out during Xmas week) about whether there is anything I could do to minimize scarring; the resident said no most confidently. When I visited Dr. Dotz, he summarized some research on silicone scar sheets and ointment (I believe vitaminE-based)--he had a file folder of articles. I opted to try a silicone scar sheet (mostly at night) and occasionally used coconut oil. You can only see the scar if you look for it, and Dr. Dotz mentioned that the healing turned out better than he would have expected given my type of skin. I would have been fine if the scar was more visible, but it's great that it healed so well. My experience further highlighted that Dr. Dotz is committed to providing great care for his patients and puts in effort he really doesn't have to. I appreciate his expertise in catching this early, his helpful recommendations and his thorough follow-up. I was also reminded that skin cancer on the face, aside from the cosmetic aspects, is especially bad because it's close to brain and eyes and can travel (I was lucky that it hadn't traveled further, given the complications if it reaches eyes or brain and the scary chemo/radiation words I heard while we didn't know how far it extended under the surface). My takeaways: * check out anything odd early--search on basal cell carcinoma pics and you'll see that some really look like nothing * sun protection is esp. important for the face * I feel very lucky to have had help from Dr. Dotz and the folks at his office. read more

I had been a patient with Dr. Dotz for about 30 years. He initially did find a problem that turned out to be benign. During the years he would check me for skin problems. He asked me to come back about twice a year. He treated some "pre cancer" spots with liquid nitrogen many times over the years and finally my regular Primary Care Physician did the same thing and saved me an extra visit to Dr. Dotz for this simple procedure. Seven years went by until I felt the need to see Dr. Dotz again for a specific skin problem. I had anticipated that Dr. Dotz would be happy to know that I went for about 7 years without a problem. Instead, he got very offensive towards my Primary Care Physician and told me that I should have seen him regularly instead during the past 7 years. He did take a biopsy, and I went to a surgeon to have the bad spot removed. Dr. Dotz told me afterwards that it was my option to see someone else! I recently did see another dermatologist and am glad that I did. My new dermatologist is very nice, accurate and professional. read more

As someone who has many risk factors for skin cancer, I wouldn't go to anyone else. He took pictures of all my moles and then every 6 months checks my moles against the pictures for changes. He is very focused and I totally trust him when it comes cancer prevention and treatment. read more

I've been seeing Dr. Dotz for over 30 years. He knows his stuff better than anyone else I've ever talked to. From plantars warts to possible cancers, I've not seen anything get past his eye. I always know I'm in good hands. read more

Ihave seen Warren Dotz for maybe 20 years since he first came to Berkeley and I used to wait for my New York trip to see Dr. Norman Orentreich and guess what? He studied under him and Dotz is better than Orentreich. Now my son, grandson, daughter-in-law all go to him. I love his down to earth approach and trust him without reservations. If you are fortunate enough to be his patient, you will be in excellent hands. I truly appreciate his medical expertise and good manners. LFB, Berkeley read more

I had another terrific appointment with Dr. Dotz-my yearly skin check! I'm usually kind of nervous about what he might find but quickly relax when I remember that this guy really knows what he is doing and would quickly treat anything that was even remotely unusual. For example, today, he used the liquid nitrogen to burn off a red, dry area on my face. It didn't hurt at all and Dr Dotz gave me a choice between different treatment options. I felt very informed and comfortable with the treatment I selected. He also answered my questions about a couple of cosmetic treatments I'd heard about. Finally, Dr Dotz has lots of soap, sunscreen and moisturizer samples for you to try! read more

Dr Dotz is extremely thorough and knowledgeable. Because of his expertise, I am alive today. Dr Dotz diagnosed an extremely rare and lethal skin cancer. He quickly and aggressively organized a second opinion, pre-surgical testing, surgery, radiation and continued followup care. Dr Dotz answered all my questions in understandable terms, navigated my insurance plans and made sure my only job was to get well. I am blessed to have walked through his door. read more

Our whole family has been seeing Dr. Dotz for 25 years or more. He's a fascinating individual but he is about doing a great job, not being "warm and fuzzy.". If you are fortunate enough to get into his practice, I highly recommend doing so. read more

I've been a patient of Dr. Dotz for over twenty years. I first saw him for the removal of a skin cancer. Since then I have seen him on a regular basis to be checked for the appearance of any more skin cancer. I also see him for a mild case of rosacea. I have nothing but good things to say about Dr. Dotz. He is always very friendly and courteous. He has widespread knowledge in his field, and I feel that I am receiving the best dermatological care in his office. I highly recommend Dr. Dotz and his wonderful office staff. read more

Dr. Dotz is a very strange person. He may be a competent dermatologist, but it does seem to have a personality disorder; he's profoundly compulsive and controlling. He lectured me as he did other patients reporting to Yelp when I had a series of questions about a complex medical problem that worried me. I believe that this doctor cannot process more than one thought at a time and resorts to a condescendingly demeaning set-phrase lecture to the patient who dares step beyond the strange boundaries of communication he sets up. I stopped seeing him several years ago after seeing him for a long time. I could not stand the humiliation of being be-rated as I sat shivering in a paper robe on a chair as he loomed over me. read more

I recently developed a severe case of adult acne. Dr. Dotz was able to zero in on an effective course of treatment that worked beautifully and quickly. When you have severe acne, you just want it gone. His knowledge and experience cleared me up in a matter of weeks. There was no wasted time with ineffectual treatments. Some may desire other qualities in a dr.'s office, but I appreciate a professional, personable, staff, and smart, experienced dr. who can identify a treatment plan that will work. Dr. Dotz is courteous, attentive, (but not overbearingly so), and knowledgeable. I am confident in his care and would definitely recommend his services. read more

Choose your doc by his/her knowledge and technical abilities not by any other criteria. There are not very many dermatologists out there in the community and the East Bay is very lucky indeed to have Dr. Dotz. I have been a patient of Dr. Dotz for a couple of decades and know he cares about me dermatologically and personally and I absolutely trust him. The practice is very busy now that many of us who baked in the California sun decades ago are realizing just how foolhardy that was. I shudder to think that he may retire in the next decade or so as my skin begins to "ripen." read more

Just an update of my previous review. Dr. Dotz continues to be extremely careful in his exams. This is extremely important to me as I had a melanoma some years ago. I have total confidence in his ability. He is absolutely up to date on the dermatological literature. I brought up a subject with him on a recent visit and brought a newspaper article to show him. He know all about the subject and had his own file containing the information. I recommend him highly. My only criticism is that he is a Yankee fan. Oh well, you cant have it all. read more

Dr. Dotz is the best dermatologist. He has caught potential trouble growths early. I have had growths removed. I recommend him highly.

I've been a patient of Dr. Dotz for years. He can be very direct, which must be a contributing factor to some of the more negative reviews, but he is extremely professional, and has recently completely cleared up an embarrassing case of rosacea for me. You can trust Dr. Dotz. I highly recommend. read more

Dr. Dotz is the most thorough derm I have ever had, and I have had many. I was diagnosed with melanoma 9 years ago and when my last derm retired, I looked around and found Dr. Dotz. During my first visit, Dr. Dotz took approx 100 photos of my entire body. What an amazing concept. No other derm had done that before and, if you think about it, what better way to visually track moles over time. This photographic exercise made it clear that Dr. Dotz really cared about his patients. Sure makes my bi-annual skin checks very easy. I highly recommend Dr. Dotz. read more

No nonsense, very professional. Dr Dotz explained the options and made a clear recommendation for treatment. I was impressed with him and his office. read more

My family and I have been going to Dr. Dotz since before I can remember. While his bedside manner may be slightly awkward, he is an exemplary doctor. He is attentive, thoughtful, and has his patient's best interests at heart. I cannot recommend him more heartily. read more

Dr Dotz is just wonderful ! He is simply adorable ; A great doctor. Respectful and kind

I've been a patient of Dr. Dotz for over fifteen years and have always found him to be congenial, careful, understanding, and above all, meticulous. It appears that some reviewers haven't noticed how the experience of visiting a doctor's office has changed over the years. Each year there are more and more patients requiring attention. This means a doctor must manage his office time carefully. He cannot keep patients waiting for hours while he attends to every little need of each patient. I think this is why Dr. Dotz asks his patients to make separate appointments for different issues. If you go for a skin check you are probably blocked in for a specific amount of time. The next patient is also waiting for their appointment at a specific time. To ask the doctor to address more time-consuming skin problems at the time of the basic skin check, is asking him to fall far behind in his patient line-up. Removals of skin moles, etc require time for preparation, procedure, labeling for biopsy, and discussion of after care. It's not some nefarious plot to make more money off patients. Dr Dotz is a good and careful dermatologist. I would suggest to patients to realize there are many other people in this world, and they all have problems just like yours or worse. Share the time. read more

I highly recommend Dr Dotz. I have entrusted my family to his care for over 13 years. I would not go to any other dermatologist. Dr Dotz provides very thorough and careful exams. He always shares his expertise in a very patient and informative manner. His knowledge of dermatology is vast. He has a very friendly manner and we respect his professional skills. If he removes any growth, he always sends it for biopsy. We get the report in short notice. He uses medical photography to assist in his visual mole checks. This is very important for skin cancer patients especially. He carefully measures the moles also. He has assisted me in some cosmetic treatments, all successful. His practice is very organized and he is on top of the latest developments in the field which provide reliable and successful results. His office receptionists and nurses are wonderful. They run a very friendly,organized, efficient and punctual office. Dr Dotz has also taught at UCSF, he has won awards and he publishes his research. He is an excellent Dr and he has a great practice in a comfortable office in Berkeley. Look no further. read more