Adam Dustin, DPM – Alvera Podiatry

Yet another successful surgery by Dr. Dustin! He gave me brand new titanium joint in my left big toe to match the one in my right big toe! He performed both surgeries and did an incredible job! I’m healing up quickly and am back to my 4 mile hikes! Thank you SO much Dr. Dustin! You truly are the best!

This is about my encounter with Dr. Spencer at this office. Upon entering the office, the receptionist was attentive, efficient and had common-​sense. I stupidly had not switched over my batch of Ins. cards and I.D. into my new wallet so I had nothing to show her, including my insurance card and the co-​pay involved. She trusted what I told her about the amount and was gracious (admittedly, she DID have a copy of my ins. referral so that might have played a part).
Dr. Spencer was terrific — gave me plenty of time, I never felt rushed and he seemed very informed and understood immediately what the issue was and what needed to be done. I liked him a lot and his «bed side manner» was xln’t. I will need to wear a «boot» for at least a month and will have to get it elsewhere so he certainly wasn’t trying to «up sell» me with services and I appreciated that. I trusted him and will see him again … definitely.

I feel so fortunate that my regular doctor recommended Dr. Sam Spencer when my big toe had an accident with a steel door!
I knew that my toenail was going to have to come off and I was scared. I called on Friday morning and Naomi at the front desk got me in that afternoon… she was very sweet and efficient.
Dr. Spencer was so kind and explained everything to me without grossing me out. He put up a shield, at my request, so I didn’t have to see what he was doing. He took care of me and removed my toenail without making me scream! He told me how to care for it as if he were talking about his own toe. He prepared me for the worst, but assured me that i was going to be ok. My sister went with me for moral support and Dr. Spencer was laughing and kidding with us, which helped distract me from what was actually going on. We were both so pleased with Dr. Spencer and his assistant. They could not have been nicer or more professional.
I went back one week later and found out my toe was going to be ok.
I will recommend Dr. Sam Spencer to everyone I meet that needs a podiatrist. I couldn’t be more pleased with my treatment. Thank you so much…

Ive been in to Dr. Dustin several times. Once when I could barely walk because I tore my plantar faciitis in a race. He worked to get me healed and was patient and kind. He actually WANTED me to run again, rather than telling me «oh it’s «overuse» and you need to take 3 months off.
He measured me a great set of orthoticss, made sure I had the correct running shoes as I didn’t once I received the new orthotics and now I’m proud to say that I’ve ran 3 marathons in 5 months. I“m absolutely pain free thanks to Dr. Dustin.
His bed side manner is warm and you even forget he’s a doctor because he’s so friendly. Don’t let the great personality fool you, he is extremely knowledgeable and can fix your foot problem.
I highly recommend Dr. Dustin and he will be my foot doctor for as long as I’m running!

I have to agree with other reviews in that Dr. Adams is a great guy, I’ve enjoyed seeing him and he was helpful for some situations, BUT I have also been charged a chunk of money for orthotics for myself and my daughter that really did not benefit me. In the end my chiropractor (Dr. Graham) suggested I go to Good Feet where I was fitted and walked out the door with better arch support and best of all — no more pain and no more shots of cortisone. After that I got a bill in which I felt was covered by my insurance and ended up paying just to put an end to it, but being overcharged after already spending $ 800 for orthotics that didn’t fit properly. It’s so discouraging and I would say to others to see a chiropractor with orthotics through someone else and save money and times.
In addition I saw Dr. Adams for a toe fungus and a year later I still have it. So frustrating.
Really hesitated writing this, as I don’t like to write negative reviews, but after time and money I’ve invested I did not get the help I felt I needed in his office. Once I went in and saw another Dr. as I was in so much pain I couldn’t walk. They were always great about seeing me, but the other Dr. told me conflicting information — again adding to my confusion and frustration.

What a terrific staff and wonderful doctor! It was my first visit here, and I was very surprised at how comfortable they made me feel. Despite the fact that I had to have a very painful injection, Dr. Dustin was very attentive to my comfort level and happily distracted me so that I could manage the experience. I feel so lucky to have been referred to this wonderful team! I’m certainly hoping to avoid any further injections, but if that’s what it takes, I know I’ll be in the right hands!

I’ve been a patient of Dr. Dustin for almost ten years now. I’ve had two bouts of plantar and a bad in grown nail. Mind you each of these were self inflicted, but each had me in extreme pain and in real need of real treatment. Dr. Dustin In each case was extremely responsive and extraordinarily effective. He is as skilled as any doc I’ve seen in any field, he is friendly and compassionate. To be honest with you the pain I’ve had and the speed with which he cured them, he could be an ogre and I’d give him four stars on skill alone. He’s a genuinely nice guy, who remembers his patients, explains things thoroughly, and gets it done.
I have to tell you «Mr One Star» may have a funny review below, but I tried every trick and over the counter remedy for my plantar, including the over priced under effective Costco ones he references, and none resolved my issue. The best attempt was Road Runners molded in store jobbies. However, none solved the issue where I could walk upright and not be confused with The Missing Link or Bigfoot (I think footage of me limping out of costco will be seen in Finding Bigfoot soon). If Over the counter remedies work for you, well done! For those who need real treatment go straight to Dr. Dustin! You will thank your lucky stars you found him! My regret is I wasted a couple hundred bucks on the cheap alternatives and made it on a reality show in pain!
Five stars ain’t enough in my book!
PS get a grip on your insurance before you go to any doctor and you won’t flip out when you have to pay for real treatment
My

If I could give more than 5 stars, I would. My experience started with a call this morning trying to be seen ASAP and was helped by the very sweet Lisa (I think that’s her name) who got me in within an hour. I was then greeted by her, who knew exactly who I was and made the check-​in process very quick and painless. I was taken back within five minutes after completing my paperwork and Dr. Dustin came in to see me within minutes as well. To say he is a great doctor would not be doing him justice. I’ve worked around doctors for well over a decade and it takes a lot more than a medical degree or even amazing skill. He encompasses all that one who cares for patients daily should be. He made me feel completely comfortable and even after treating me kept up conversation. Simply put, I just adore this man. I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to send someone here and I will be back when needed.
Thanks Dr. Dustin and staff!

Really good guy and his staff is really nice. Unlike the guy below who doesn’t know what insurance company’s are for and seeing he had a high one, I would ignore his comments. Like any medical place you pay your copay and go through the motions, even when you need to pick up the inserts, you need to make sure they are correct and unlike Costco, he checks your foot against them.
I would definitely recommend him to others!

Went to see Dr. Dustin yesterday, after a foot injury. He was professional, upbeat and friendly and diagnosed the problem right away (when other Dr.‘s had not taken the time to diagnose). His assistant was terrific and made me feel at easy, as well as his office staff. He was prompt and I would definitely recommend him to anyone as one of the best in the area! Thank you so much, Dr. Dustin.
Cathie L., San Marcos

Dr. Dustin: 5 stars, his billing department: 1 star
I went to Dr. Dustin originally for foot pain and he quickly took care of it. I’ve been going to him for 5 years or more because he is a very personable guy and does a great job.
However, I think that his billing person is unethical. They put in a claim to my insurance and the insurance company denied part of it. Now, the agreement between the doctor and the insurance company is that the patient pays what the insurance company says. But no, she billed me for what my insurance company said plus the denied amount, a total of something like $ 400. I called to complain and she said that she would re-​submit the claim to the insurance company (which is what she should have done in the first place if she had a beef with the EoB). Well, the insurance company re-​evaluated and coughed-​up more money but still less than the billing person thought was correct (this time by only $ 30 or $ 40), so she again billed the extra amount to me, which she is not allowed to do.
I just paid it but vowed to not go there again. It’s too bad, she probably thinks that she is doing Dr. Dustin a favor by doing things like that, but I’m sure that I’m not the only patient she has lost for him by her «penny wise, pound foolish» behavior.

Dr. Dustin is unique in our increasingly impersonal, money-​driven healthcare system. He allows patient interaction and listens intently. His staff is friendly and cheerful and, best of all, the office phone is actually answered by one of the front office staff. No annoying voice menu to choose options while growing more frustrated. He offers a unique treatment for neuropathy that has given me the only relief I’ve had after seven years of pain and countless consultations, treatments, medications and surgeries. Dr. Dustin is modest and gracious and clearly motivated by his desire to make a patient’s life more comfortable.

I never thought I’d have such a pleasant experience having my foot scraped at!
So a few weeks ago, I went to my primary care doctor to get my foot looked at. She told me that it could be a foreign body… but didn’t offer any sort of assistance to take it out.
So I called over yesterday and talked to a very nice receptionist, and I got an appointment for the next day. It wasn’t long of a wait at all since I had all of my paperwork filled out beforehand. Great customer service!
I was seen by Dr. Dustin, who is a very nice man. I can tell that he cares about his patients. The whole time he was scraping my foot, he was smily, nice, friendly, and engaged in conversation.
I will definitely come back here if I ever have foot problems again. I remember a while ago I broke my ankle and went to C***. I remember feeling like I never really had all of my questions answered and I was always being rushed out. Dr. Dustin has a very quiet office, and seems very attentive. Next time I break anything on my foot I will definitely be limpin’ his way!
Thank you Dr. Dustin!

ok, so I had a battle with these guys and my insurance company about the final $ 25 co-​pay that I think was a rip off (see previous review). According to my insurance company ANY office visit requires a co-​pay. What a bunch of BS. The Dr. office should have informed me prior to making the appointment to pick up these orthotics that it would be considered an office visit. Seriously.
Here’s the best part… I’m paying off the final $ 25 (but not all at once, since I’m pissed, but I’m still paying it). So I get a statement from Alvera Podiatry (Adam Dustin, D.P.M. and Sam Spencer, D.P.M.) with an «ADJUSTMENT» on it charging me an EXTRA $ 2.00 since I didn’t pay the final $ 25 co-​pay all at once. My new balance is $ 7.50 which I planned to pay off, but then they added $ 2.00 to my statement, HA. Just more proof that these guys are crooks. I would NEVER go back there and recommend you AVOID them too.
Do yourself a favor and do what I finally did in February. I wanted another pair of orthotics for other shoes, so I just bought a pair at Costco for $ 89 and how about this… they didn’t charge me extra to put them in my sneakers or to pick them up (what a shocker).
Oh… And, if you look at the one’s I got from Dr. Dustin compared to Costco, they look IDENTICAL (same color materials, same composite). So I showed them to the orthotics person at Costco and they basically told me most orthotics come from only a few places and mine were most likely made in the same place.
Summary:
Costco: $ 89 +tax (no other charges), friendly, courteous, and helpful.
Alvera Podiatry: Over $ 750 from insurance and $ 75 in co-pay’s from me plus my $ 100 deductible. Arrogant, self righteous, and all about the money.
So After having to pay all the co-​pay and deductible fee’s it ended up costing me double what my Costco Orthotics cost without insurance.

I went to Dr. Dustin because I had gone to a Chiro for awful back and hip pain for YEARS. The Chiro gave me basic orthodics which helped a little so I figured GOOD ones from a Podiatrist would help more… well I was RIGHT… I wear them every day and I have not had back pain or hip pain for YEARS now. I can even PULL WEEDS from my garden and lift heavy things! I have NEVER been happier! Of course they cost more then those «great feet» stores but there is NO comparison! …but you have to break them in exactly like they tell you to. Plus Dr. Dustin is a great guy.

I had been putting off going to a doctor for a few months, but when the pain in foot didn’t go away, I finally dragged myself in to see Dr. Dustin. He was very helpful, explaining everything to me in detail and showing me the digital Xrays of my foot. Glad to have my diagnosis confirmed (sesamoid fracture), but I was a little fuzzy about what to do to heal it. Next time I will make sure I am clear before I leave the office. I also appreciated his friendly chit chat about hiking Mt. Whitney. It’s always nice to connect with another outdoor enthusiast!

Gentle, kind, honest, and funny too. Great doctor!

Wonderful doctor! He and his staff are all skilled, friendly, well-​educated, and caring.
I went in with a fractured foot, and within a few seconds of me describing my problem, and a couple questions, he started nodding his head and knew exactly what was wrong. (A «marching fracture», apparently, and I didn’t even have to join the army to get it! :P) They took digital x-​rays to be sure (it’s a very well-​equipped office) and he went over them with me right there. Then he gave me a boot for my fracture and said to stay off it as much as possible and come back in if it still hurt in three weeks — but that since it was pretty minor he wouldn’t bother coming in again unless it did still hurt after that, if it was his foot. And then he didn’t even charge me for the office visit!
I’m very happy I found Dr. Dustin, and any time I ever have a problem with my feet I’m definitely going back to him, and I will also be recommending him to any friend who might need a podiatrist. Highly recommended!