David Matthew Bell's Online Review Report Card

He & his staff are professional & courteous. Br Bell was through in his explanation of the procedure during my pre-op visit & post-op visits. He's obviously a skilled surgeon and is well regarded by folks in the field of medicine. I'll be back if I need another repair... maybe knees or right shoulder. Hopefully not!

Dr. Bell and his staff are the best in the field. He will tell it to you straight, with grace and work with you towards a treatment.

I went to Dr. Bell for sudden onset knee and calf pain. He ordered a MRI and the radiologist report did not find anything of significance. Just some “wear and tear”. Dr. Bell had me come into the office to discuss results (which at first seemed unnecessary since this was during the Covid-19 fiasco) but thank goodness he did. He re-examined my leg and felt my foot which had been going ice cold and turning white. He referred me to a vascular surgeon for evaluation. A few days later, Dr. Bell called me to say that he asked the radiologist to review my MRI one more time because he felt like something wasn’t adding up. He was right! The radiologist called back and found my popliteal artery was entrapped by a muscle! Fast forward to my vascular surgeon appt and it’s not only that but it has caused a large clot in my artery To form that has caused major damage. I’m so grateful for Dr. Bell! Even though it wasn’t an ortho issue he didn’t stop searching for an answer! Thank you so much for being willing to see me and follow up so thoroughly!

I visited Dr. Bell because of pain in my shoulder. This pain did not come from a trauma, it appeared seemingly out of no where. Dr. Bell prescribed an MRI, which showed a minor tears in one of my rotator cuff muscles. He latched onto this minor tear and immediate recommended surgery. I asked him if there were any alternatives to surgery (since my pain was not restricting my daily or active life) and his response was short and fairly demeaning ending in, "No, this is the only option". Not being a doctor or trained professional, I decided I should get a second opinion.I went to a specialist orthopedic (also a surgeon) who gave me a 180 degree prescription to Dr. Bell's surgery stance. This second Ortho said "No surgery!" plain and simple, taking it 100% off the table. He explained to me, in extreme detail, why I have pain and pointed out that the pain wasn't even where the tear was! This doctor prescribed Physical Therapy and ice. Simple. Said do it for 6 weeks and if the pain is still there he would be surprised! This made me very excited and even if it didn't work, it is always best to do everything you can before getting cut by a surgeon!I went and saw another specialist who was on the same page as the second Ortho I saw, "No surgery!" In fact, this specialist said, "You have a minor tear yes, but everything is still connected at your rotator cuff... What was Dr. Bell even going to do in the surgery? There is nothing to connect back up?" That scared me and is why I am writing this review. This specialist knew of Dr. Bell and said that he gets a lot of patients who say, "Dr. Bell prescribed surgery," when surgery wasn't needed at all. I am guessing Dr. Bell makes his money by cutting and not by being a good doctor. This third specialist also gave me some rib expansion (breathing) exercises to go along with the Physical Therapy. (This is because my shoulder pain is a SYMPTOM, not the actual issue in my body).I have now been with a Physical Therapist for 2 weeks, she focuses on the whole body to determine why I have shoulder pain as a SYMPTOM. This is important, my shoulder pain is a symptom due to other imbalances in my body. The exercises I have been doing are not focused on my shoulder, but on my whole body, and have already rebalanced my body allowing my shoulder to heal.I am 30 years old, I have been doing Pilates 2x a week for 8 years, I run 2x a week to stay fit, I live an active normal life, I eat healthy, I do not drink, and I do not smoke. Generally my body should be able to heal! If I had got surgery I would have been out for 6 months and then another 6 months to rehabilitate where I was cut into. And then who knows how surgery would have left my shoulder years down the road.I am not an alternative to Western medicine, in fact I believe surgery is needed for many issues and I trust Western doctors. But, the way Dr. Bell approached my pain was so concerning, down to my core, I had to get a second and third review - and am so glad I did.I am writing this review because others should know about my experience with Dr. Bell. I want to point out that Dr. Bell has a trend of recommending surgery when, surgery is not always the first option.Please always get a second opinion and please be careful when seeing Dr. Bell. It's your body not his. You will be the one living the rest of your life based on your decisions.

I was complaining about pain in my shoulder, I had an X-ray done in Dr. Bells office and it showed that there was no injury, I then had an MRI done,that also showed nothing. He said there was arthritis in my AC joint and that is causing the pain. When I showed Dr. Bell where my pain was, it was nowhere close to my AC joint. He recommended a Cortizone shot anyways, me knowing nothing about this and trusting Dr. Bell’s professional advice I said that’s fine. He then gave me a shot in my shoulder and prescribed PT to me to an outside source, I should of questioned why not PT in his office since they have PT’s there but again, trusting him as a Dr. and thinking he had my best interest. I followed up a few weeks later, the pain was still there, nothing improved and the PT that he referred to me was awful and made things worse. After a few months later and nothing improving , I got a second opinion, I told the 2nd Dr, that Dr. Bell gave me a Cortizone shot and the Dr. asked me where in the shoulder, I showed him and he said, “ that’s not where your pain is, did he do it under ultrasound?” My response to the 2nd Dr. surprised him, I said, No! Was he suppose to? He said that anytime one gets a cortizone shot, it should be under ultrasound.What I would suggest, if you go to Dr. Bell, ALWAYS get a 2nd opinion from another Dr.

I have known Dr. Bell and his staff for a few years now...he has worked on my shoulder and now my knee. I wouldn't consider myself a easy case nor tough case. Though I would consider myself one who knows what my body needs in order to get back in shape. Exercise first, time to heal, maybe a first line of intervention here and there...and surgery always last. So when it came time to have a surgery A Gain. I knew it was time to schedule with Dr. Bell and the Staff made it happen..but did it have to be in the year of Covid no less? My body decided it had to be. Having been around the block a few times before with crutches, etc...I was pleasantly surprised when Dr. Bell made my options fit me more comfortably. His staff answered all my questions, as they arose. Dr. Bell called if it was needed. Great care was given all around. I cannot Express my gratitude for the care I was given . Particularly since more damage was found than expected. Which was a first for me. I have recommended Dr. Bell to my friends and they have also been very happy.

I have no experience with them, good or bad.

I visited Dr. Bell because of pain in my shoulder. This pain did not come from a trauma, it appeared seemingly out of no where. Dr. Bell prescribed an MRI, which showed a minor tear in one of my rotator cuff muscles. He latched onto this minor tear and immediate recommended surgery. I asked him if there were any alternatives to surgery (since my pain was not restricting my daily or active life) and his response was short and fairly demeaning ending in, "No, this is the only option". Not being a doctor or trained professional, I decided I should get a second opinion. I went to a specialist orthopedic (also a surgeon) who gave me a 180 degree prescription to Dr. Bell's surgery stance. This second Ortho said "No surgery!" plain and simple, taking it 100% off the table. He explained to me, in extreme detail, why I have pain and pointed out that the pain wasn't even where the tear was! This doctor prescribed Physical Therapy and ice. Simple. Said do it for 6 weeks and if the pain is still there he would be surprised! This made me very excited and even if it didn't work, it is always best to do everything you can before getting cut by a surgeon! I went and saw another specialist who was on the same page as the second Ortho I saw, "No surgery!" In fact, this specialist said, "You have a minor tear yes, but everything is still connected at your rotator cuff... What was Dr. Bell even going to do in the surgery? There is nothing to connect back up?" That scared me and is why I am writing this review. This specialist knew of Dr. Bell and said that he gets a lot of patients who say, "Dr. Bell prescribed surgery," when surgery wasn't needed at all. I am guessing Dr. Bell makes his money by cutting and not by being a good doctor. This third specialist also gave me some rib expansion (breathing) exercises to go along with the Physical Therapy. (This is because my shoulder pain is a SYMPTOM, not the actual issue in my body). I have now been with a Physical Therapist for 2 weeks, she focuses on the whole body to determine why I have shoulder pain as a SYMPTOM. This is important, my shoulder pain is a symptom due to other imbalances in my body. The exercises I have been doing are not focused on my shoulder, but on my whole body, and have already rebalanced my body allowing my shoulder to heal. I am 30 years old, I have been doing Pilates 2x a week for 8 years, I run 2x a week to stay fit, I live an active normal life, I eat healthy, I do not drink, and I do not smoke. Generally my body should be able to heal! If I had got surgery I would have been out for 6 months and then another 6 months to rehabilitate where I was cut into. And then who knows how surgery would have left my shoulder years down the road. I am not an alternative to Western medicine, in fact I believe surgery is needed for many issues and I trust Western doctors. But, the way Dr. Bell approached my pain was so concerning, down to my core, I had to get a second and third review - and am so glad I did. I am writing this review because others should know about my experience with Dr. Bell. I want to point out that Dr. Bell has a trend of recommending surgery when, surgery is not always the first option. Please always get a second opinion and please be careful when seeing Dr. Bell. It's your body not his. You will be the one living the rest of your life based on your decisions.

Excellent orthopedic surgeon.

Dr Bell is awesome!! Fixed my meniscus twice due to injuries with Jiujitsu. Great to work with! Staff are friendly and knowledgeable. my joint doc for life !