Dr. Dang provides care for patients with a wide range of foot and ankle conditions. These include arthritis, fractures and other trauma, tendon problems such as tendonitis and tears, Achilles ruptures, alignment conditions (such as flat feet or high arches), bunions, metatarsal pain, neuromas, and others. Her approach towards patient care centers on education and partnership. She provides patients with up-to-date information on known treatment options and guides them to making informed decisions that best fit their lifestyle and goals.
Dr. Dang graduated summa cum laude in psychology from the University of Southern California. Following this, she completed her Ph.D. studies, becoming an expert in skeletal development, at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. There, she also graduated with her medical degree at the top of her class, earning the Dean's Award, the highest distinction bestowed to a single student of the graduating class. She completed rigorous orthopedic residency training at the University of California, San Francisco, and polished off her education with a fellowship at the prestigious Coughlin Foot and Ankle Clinic in Boise, Idaho.
With her unique and extensive training, Dr. Dang provides excellent, skilled, and compassionate care.
Dr. Dang is Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
What Makes You Different?
For me, one of the most important parts of a patient's appointment is at the beginning, when I learn about their concerns and listen carefully to what they are experiencing. From there, I believe that the first step to treatment is to help my patients understand their condition. I will spend the time to draw diagrams and to go over imaging to thoroughly explain a diagnosis. I believe that the goal of treatment is to safely return a patient to their desired activities with as little pain as possible. This might involve non-surgical or surgical treatments. As patients know their bodies, lifestyles, and personal goals best, I believe that after receiving enough information, the treatment decision is a patient's to make. Once a decision is made, my job is to provide the best and most compassionate care possible.
What are Your Favorite Activities to Do in Your Free Time?
I love to spend time with my husband and children.
Practice Locations
795 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94301; 650-853-2951
301 Industrial Road, San Carlos, CA 94070; 650-596-4040
Specialties
- Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgery
- Fracture Care including hip fractures, femur, tibia, ankle, and foot fractures
- General Orthopedics
Medical Education & Training
- Medical School: University of Rochester
- General Surgery Internship: University of California, San Francisco
- Orthopaedic Surgery Residency: University of California, San Francisco
- Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle SurgeryFellowship: Coughlin Clinic, Boise, Idaho
Professional Affiliations
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society
- Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society
Publications
- Debbie Y. Dang. "Chapter 1: "Biomechanics of the Foot and Ankle." Coughlin and Mann's Surgery of the Foot and Ankle, edited by Haskell & Coughlin, Elsevier, 2023, p. 1-27.
- Recurrent Fragility Fractures: A Cross-sectional Analysis.
Dang DY, Zetumer S, Zhang AL.
J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2019 Jan 15;27(2):e85-e91. doi: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-17-00103.
PMID: 30169444 - Comparison of Single-Agent Versus 3-Additive Regional Anesthesia for Foot and Ankle Surgery.
Dang DY, McGarry SM, Melbihess EJ, Haytmanek CT, Stith AT, Griffin MJ, Ackerman KJ, Hirose CB.
Foot Ankle Int. 2019 Oct;40(10):1195-1202. doi: 10.1177/1071100719859020. Epub 2019 Jul 16.
PMID: 31307211 - The Uniform Pattern of Growth and Skeletal Maturation during the Human Adolescent Growth Spurt.
Sanders JO, Qiu X, Lu X, Duren DL, Liu RW, Dang D, Menendez ME, Hans SD, Weber DR, Cooperman DR.
Sci Rep. 2017 Dec 1;7(1):16705. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-16996-w. - Overlapping Surgery in the Ambulatory Orthopaedic Setting.
Zhang AL, Sing DC, Dang DY, Ma CB, Black D, Vail TP, Feeley BT.
J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2016 Nov 16;98(22):1859-1867. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.16.00248.
PMID: 27852902 - Rigid Internal Fixation of Proximal Crescentic Metatarsal Osteotomy in Hallux Valgus Correction.
Stith A, Dang D, Griffin M, Flint W, Hirose C, Coughlin M.
Foot Ankle Int. 2019 Jul;40(7):778-789. doi: 10.1177/1071100719842800. Epub 2019 Apr 17.
PMID: 30994364 - Mallet Toes, Hammertoes, Neuromas, and Metatarsophalangeal Joint Instability: 40 Years of Development in Forefoot Surgery.
Dang DY, Coughlin MJ.
Indian J Orthop. 2020 Jan 15;54(1):3-13. doi: 10.1007/s43465-019-00015-3. eCollection 2020 Feb.
PMID: 32211125