On a chilly March afternoon in Madison, WI, two distinguished alumni of the University of Wisconsin Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences made a heartfelt, impromptu return—not for a conference or lecture, but for something far more personal: to visit a beloved mentor.
Deborah Sherman, MD, and Donald Kikkawa, MD, FACS, arrived on March 14 to reconnect with Professor Emeritus Richard Dortzbach, joining current faculty for an intimate lunch filled with stories, laughter, and gratitude.
Both Dr. Sherman and Dr. Kikkawa trained under Dr. Dortzbach as fellows in oculofacial plastic surgery—graduating in 1991 and 1992, respectively—and have since built remarkable careers of their own. Dr. Sherman now leads a thriving private practice in Nashville, while Dr. Kikkawa serves as the Dr. Trude Kahn Hollander Chair in Ophthalmology at the University of California-San Diego Shiley Eye Institute. Yet despite their accomplishments, both still point to one constant influence: “Dortz.”
Affectionately known by generations of trainees as “Dortz,” Dr. Dortzbach has long been a towering figure in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery. When he joined the University of Wisconsin faculty in 1968 as the department’s first full-time oculoplastic surgeon, he helped shape not only a specialty, but a culture of excellence, mentorship, and compassion that would endure for decades. Over a 30-year career, he trained countless residents and fellows, served for two decades as fellowship program director, and led the oculoplastics service with distinction.
But beyond his titles and achievements, it is his role as a mentor that continues to resonate most deeply.
The visit was a simple one—a shared meal, a few hours together—but it spoke volumes. The bonds formed in training, forged through long hours and shared purpose, have not faded with time or distance. If anything, they have grown stronger.
Dr. Sherman, who wrote a poem in honor of Dortz, summed it up well:
“For over thirty years, Fellows came to learn from him
Not only the anatomy and architecture of eyelids and orbits,
Not only the art of reconstruction, but also the great traditions of the fellowship family that form a lasting bond we treasure
Even greater—the deeper philosophy behind it all:
That mastery requires humility,
That teaching is legacy,
That learning never ends.”
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A Tribute for Richard and Laura Dortzbach, MD
“To Be—As Not to Be is Not An Option”
~ Written with Gratitude and Love, Deb Sherman, March, 2026
In the one-of-a-kind oculoplastic fellowship journey where skill is shaped into purpose,
He shaped a generation of surgeons— Richard K. Dortzbach,
Master of the intricate & delicate,
Teacher of the devoted,
Architect of a fellowship that became the gold standard of our field.
He lived by a code few ever see or understand,
“Nobody knows,” he’d say—
A reminder that excellence is forged in the unseen hours,
In the discipline, repetition, and devotion
That define a life’s work.
He practiced on Lombardi time,
Fifteen minutes early was exactly on schedule
And expected the same from those he trained.
1,000 handwritten sticky notes on journal articles lift on the fellow’s desk taught us
To ask the right questions and research truth with solid science, as
This is how medicine and science advance.
After clinic, when others had long gone,
He stayed late with the Fellow, reviewing every slide,
Teaching, refining, learning,
Because he believed brilliance was earned, not assumed.
His sayings became our compass:
“One more stitch. . .” because better was always possible.
And when a patient’s path grew difficult, he taught us not to retreat but to draw closer—
“Hover!” Stay present, communicate, explain,
Show them you care, for compassion is as essential as skill.
At home, with a grin that softened everything, he’d say,
“What should I know? I’m just the Dad!”
A glimpse of his humor, his humility,
And the joy he found in being a father to Ken and Kathy.
And always beside him was Laura— Super smart, witty, the talented white coat artist,
Loving every fellow & every family who passed through the halls of UW
Her partnership, warmth, and belief in his purpose
Helped create the extraordinary “fellowship family”
that shaped our field for decades.
For over thirty years, Fellows came to learn from him
Not only the anatomy and architecture of eyelids and orbits,
Not only the art of reconstruction, but also the great traditions of the fellowship family that form a lasting bond we treasure
Even greater– the deeper philosophy behind it all:
That mastery requires humility,
That teaching is legacy,
That learning never ends.
He inspired us TO BE—
To be better,
To be disciplined,
To be compassionate,
To be worthy of the craft entrusted to us.
And for that, we are forever grateful.
His legacy now lives in countless hands across the world
Hands steadied by his wisdom,
Guided by his voice,
Shaped by his example.
A renaissance man in every way,
Whose light endures in every life he touched
And in every surgeon he taught
To learn,
To strive,
To BE.