Benjamin Kaffenberger, MD
Physician, Associate Professor
Dermatology
Make an appointment
614-293-1707
Accepting new patients
Conditions and expertise
- Atopic Dermatitis
- Pyoderma Gangrenosum
- Skin Care
- Hidradenitis Suppurativa
- Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus
- Dermatomyositis
Locations
- Dermatology West
Academics and research
Department: Dermatology
About
- Gender
- Male
Biography
As a dermatologist at The Ohio State University, I specialize in hospital dermatology and work with individuals who have complex medical diseases, drug and allergic reactions, and autoimmune skin diseases. I am interested in diseases like Stevens-Johnson syndrome, drug and allergy hypersensitivity syndromes, pyoderma gangrenosum and ulcerating skin conditions, vasculitis and hidradenitis suppurativa.
I take the time to talk with my patients about their conditions. I help them to understand all aspects of their diagnosis, answer any questions they may have and help them find the most cost-effective treatment option possible.
I like the collegial and world-class atmosphere that Ohio State offers. I also enjoy the challenge of treating rare and difficult diseases.
When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with my wife and children, especially in the outdoors.
Highlights
- Rated in the top 10 percent of physicians in the nation for patient satisfaction, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019
- Mikhail Novikov Faculty of the Year Award, Department of Family Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 2015
- Dermatology Foundation Career Development Award, 2018
- Named to Castle Connolly's Regional Top Doctors list
- My research interests include drug hypersensitivity syndromes, autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases, and conducting clinical trials to develop new therapeutics
Conditions and expertise
- Atopic Dermatitis
- Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus
- Dermatomyositis
- Graft vs Host Disease
- Hidradenitis Suppurativa
- Pyoderma Gangrenosum
- Skin Cancers
- Skin Care
- Skin Diseases
- Vasculitis
Locations
Please note: Not all physicians schedule patients at each listed location.
Credentials
Education
- Residency - Dermatology
- Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
7/1/2011 - 6/30/2014 - Internship - Internal Medicine
- Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
6/17/2010 - 6/30/2011 - Doctor of Medicine (MD)
- Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, United States
8/9/2006 - 6/13/2010
Certification
-
American Board of Dermatology
7/24/2014
Academics and research
In addition to my clinical work, I am a member of the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James, where my research focuses on the early identification, description and treatment of novel cutaneous toxicities from targeted anticancer therapies. I am also interested in studying cutaneous graft-versus-host disease, teledermatology and automated assessments, and biobanking cancerous and noncancerous skin tissue.
Currently, my research focuses on outcomes of hospitalized skin disease, development of new instruments to measure skin disease severity and development of new therapeutic options for underserved skin diseases.
My work has been published in top peer-reviewed dermatology journals, and I am the dermatology representative to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network for immune-related adverse events.
It is up to all of us, not only scientists and inventors, but the public to encourage, and insist upon investments in research and development for the betterment of everyone.
Research interests
- Fibrosis
- Graft vs Host Disease
- Lymphoma
- Lymphoma T Cell
- Lymphoproliferative Disorders
- Myelodysplastic Syndromes
- Neoplasms
- Neurilemmoma
- Neurofibroma
Honors
- OSU Community Service Excellence Award, 2007
- OSUCOM Outstanding Academic Merit Scholarship, 2007-2010
- Mildred Horton Ansel Scholarship for Academic Achievement
- The Clinical Excellence Award Winner for the OSUCOM Class of 2010 for the highest clinical grades.
- OSUMC Dept. of Internal Medicine Intern Teaching Excellence Award, 2010-2011
- OSUMC Division of Dermatology Chief Resident, 2013-2014
- Outstanding Achievement in Patient Service 2014 for satisfaction greater than the 90th percentile nationally, 2013-2014
- 2015 Mikhail Novikov Faculty of the Year Award from OSUWMC Department of Family and Community Medicine
- Outstanding Achievement in Patient Service 2016 for patient satisfaction greater than the 90th percentile nationally, 2015-16
- Outstanding Contribution in Reviewing (top 10% of reviewers) JAAD, 2016
- Outstanding Contribution in Reviewing (top 10% of reviewers) JAAD Case Reports, 2016
- American Academy of Dermatology Academic Dermatology Leadership Program, 2017
- Outstanding Achievement in Patient Service 2017 for patient satisfaction greater than the 90th percentile nationally, 2016-17
Professional Activities
- Alpha Omega Alpha, Gold Humanism Honor Society
- Landacre Honor Society
- American Academy of Dermatology
- Ohio Dermatology Association
- Medical Dermatology Society
- Society of Dermatology Hospitalists
- Association of Professors of Dermatology
Book Chapters
- Kaffenberger, BH. Panniculitis. In: Dean S, Satiani B, eds. Color Atlas and Synopsis of Vascular Medicine, 1st ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2011.
- McKinley G, Maher M, Gru AA, Kaffenberger, BH. Histopathology of cutaneous adverse reactions to oncologic therapeutics. In: Gru AA ed. Hematopathology of the skin, 1st ed. New York, NY: Springer Press 2015.
- Kaffenberger BH, Bechtel MA, Porcu PG. Chapter 2: Treatment of Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma. In: Magro CM, Crowson AN, Mihm MC eds. The Cutaneous Lymphoid Proliferations: A comprehensive textbook of lymphocytic infiltrates of the skin 2nd ed. New York, NY: Wiley Medical Press. 2016.
- Kaffenberger BH, Jaglowski S. Dermal and Subcutaneous chronic Graft-versus-Host disease. In: Cotliar J, ed. Atlas of Graft-versus-Host disease. New York, NY: Springer Medical 2017.
College and Graduate Level Course Instruction
- 11/2013-11/6: OSUCOM. Med 2 Host Defense Block: Inflammatory Skin Diseases Part 1 and Part 2.
- 03/2008 – 06/2008 Division of Anatomy, Ohio State University - 201 Anatomy for Science Majors TA
- 09/2007 - 09/2007 MEDPATH, Ohio State University - MCAT Facilitated Review Instructor
- 08/2007 - 11/2007 Division of Anatomy, Ohio State University Medical School Gross Anatomy TA
- 04/2007 - 07/2007 MEDPATH, Ohio State University 693 Immunology Course Instructor
Editorial Activities
- Biomed Central (BMC) Cancer – Associate Editor
- Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology Case Reports – Editorial Board: Term 6/1/15-6/1/18
- Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology – Ad hoc Reviewer
- JAMA Dermatology – Ad hoc Reviewer
Funding
- 2013-14: National Psoriasis Foundation Fellowship. $40,000 in direct and indirect costs concurrent with residency. Mentor: Henry Wong MD, Ph.D., Marshall Williams Ph.D., and Maria Ariza Ph.D. Project: Biomarker development of human endogenous retrovirus K dUTPase as a marker of severity, treatment, and arthritis in psoriasis patients.
- 2015-16: American Acne and Rosacea Society, AARS. $10,000 in direct costs. Project: Acnes Recognition System (ARES): A low-cost, alternative acne image analysis and clinical trial scoring system. Role: PI.
- 2016-2018: Upper Limit Payment Advancement Awards, funded through Dept of Ohio Medicaid. $304,709 in direct costs. Project: Teledermatology: Improving Patient Access to Dermatology. Cultivate advanced delivery care models improving access, outcomes and lower costs for Medicaid patients. Role: PI. Effort 15%.
- 2017-2018: Strategic Pharma-Academic Research Collaboration Awards, Indiana University CTSA. $99,252, $119,102 in direct and indirect costs. Project: Gene Expression and Microbiome Profiling in Hidradenitis Suppurativa to Identify Immunological Biomarkers of Disease Activity. Role: Site Co-PI. Effort 5%.
- 2017-2018: National Rosacea Society, $25,000. Project: The use of digital image segmentation and analysis as a rosacea biomarker. Role: PI. Effort 10%.
- 2018-2021: Dermatology Foundation, $165,000. Project: Prospective Categorization and Outcomes Analysis of Cutaneous Drug Eruptions Medical Career Development Award. Role: PI. Effort 25%.
- 2018-2019: Patient Safety Advancement Grant, OSUWMC, $25,000. Project: The Effect of Histopathologic Analysis and Tissue Cultures on Inpatient Management of Cellulitis and Pseudocellulitis. Role: PI. Effort NA.
Local, Regional and National Committee Involvement
- Ohio State University Department of Internal Medicine Quality and Safety Committee: 12/14-6/17
- Ohio State University IHIS (Electronic Medical Record) Physician Steering Committee: 6/16-Present
- Patient Advocacy Committee for the American Academy of Dermatology 3/16-Present
- Ohio Dermatology Association, Young Physicians Committee, Co-Chair 11/17-Present
Academic information
- Department:
- Dermatology
- Division:
- Dermatology
More about my research
Ratings and reviews
The overall patient satisfaction rating is an average of all patient responses to the six doctor communication related questions shown below from the Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey. For additional information about the patient satisfaction survey, please visit our Patient Satisfaction Survey page.
The comments are submitted by patients and reflect their view and opinions. The comments are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.
426 Patient Satisfaction Reviews
Patient Comments
Consulting and Related Relationships
At The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, we support a faculty member’s research and consulting in collaboration with medical device, research and/or drug companies because a faculty member’s expertise can guide important advancements in the practice of medicine and improve patient care. In order to provide effective management of these relationships, the University requires annual disclosures from all faculty members with external interests related to their University responsibilities.
As of 11/3/2025 Dr. Kaffenberger has reported relationships with the companies or entities listed below. If you have questions about the relationships listed below, please ask the faculty member. If you have questions about how these relationships are monitored by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, please contact our Compliance Office.
- American Academy of Dermatology
- Boehringer Ingelheim
- Eli Lilly and Company
- National Comprehensive Cancer Network
All good, a little late but focused all attention on we when we started our appointment
Provider explained options and plan of care.
Good
Excellent listener and gives thorough and understandable explanations. Takes necessary time with me. Well paced and not rushed. Best dermatologist in Columbus area; wife excellent, too.
Asked additional question about toenail fungus- really appreciated his very honest explanation of my options and his support of my choice.
GREAT
Excellent in all wayd
He is absolutely terrific and goes above and beyond even helping me with my deformed thumbnails, they're much improved!
Great demeanor, very caring, trustworthy.
Dr K has literally saved my life due to septic issues. He is great.
Dr Kaffenberger is the best Dr I've ever had. He is a genius, caring, great bed side manner and never makes me feel rushed. I consider him a hero for the work he does and empathy he has for his patients.
Dr. Kaffenberger is always very thorough. He found a skin spot that has turned out to be cancer. I appreciate his knowledge.
Dr Kaffenberger is the most caring and professional doctor that I have ever known. His commitment to my wellbeing is astonishing and much appreciated.
He is excellent
Amazing experience
He is the best! His expertise diagnosed a rare condition.
I could not ask for a better provider than Dr. Kaffenbeger--kind, professional, courteous, and knowledgeable. I have total confidence in him.
This doctor is excellent
Very thorough, professional, friendly.
He is always so nice and explains everything
Excellent!
He was excellent
He is always friendly and thorough.
My care provider is quite detailed, also remembers everything about me and is always professionals d caring.
Dr. Kaffenberger is always kind, willing and does listen and explains in a way easily to understand. 10 out of 10!
Very good
Dr Benjamin Kaffenberger is the best derm I know - so knowledgeable about HS
Very professional always shows concerns for his patient
He is always thorough and polite.
Excellent and always very caring and helpful
Answered all questions, observant
Does a great job listening and understanding my questions about my condition and pros/cons of certain medications.
He is knowledgable, kind, and compassionate. He is one of the best doctors I have!
Dr. Kaufenberger is the most amazing doctor! He's so knowledgeable and explains everything and is so thorough! Very professional and kind, too!
All good.
Concerned and takes time to explain things. Makes me feel comfortable
MAKES YOU FEEL AT EASE AND COMPLETELY REVIEWS THE DETAILS.
Very nice. Gave me the information I needed.
Dr. K is always professional and kind. He listens and talks to me like we're friends! I appreciate his caring attitude!
Far exceeded my expectations
Dr. K has been watching over me for a good number of years. He is the only doctor in the OSU network that I still see
Dr. Kaffenberger is always so pleasant. He respects me in every way shape when he sees me. He always greets me with a smile and ask how I'm doing. He's very very thorough and respectful. Thank you very much.
All good
Dr Kaffenberger is amazing. He listens and takes care and shows great patience and knowledge
Dr. Kaffanberger is always very thorough
Friendly, concerned and listened well.
Dr Kaffenberger is the very best! He is kind considerate very knowledgeable gives you options and all the time you need to answer your questions. He is the best!
Thorough, kind, and caring
Provider was very compassionate
The BEST of the best!
All great
Excellent- the best! Trust and rely on Dr. Kaffenberger. Saw three other Dermatologists before seeing Dr. Kaffenberger several years ago. 10++
Excellent
Dr. Kaffenberger is wonderful! We have nice conversations. He asks about my annual scans. He is very aware of my situation. Thankful for his knowledge and care.
Love Dr Kaffenberger! Always extremely nice and considerate. I feel confident with him.
Everything was fine.
Dr. Kaffenberger fulfills the words and spirit of the Hippocratic oath. He is an excellent doctor.
Very friendly and professional
He's the best. Saved my life
Listened. Explained everything. Concerned for my symptoms and tretment.
Knowledgeable and caring
Excellent care and concern
Dr. K is the best. I trust his judgement in all aspects of my care.
Very respectful. Genuinely interested and cares about patients
Dr Kaffenberger was very kind and attentive. He thoroughly checked everything and explained his findings to me. I would highly recommend him to others.
Professional. Courteous.
Very patient, kind and caring!
An Excellent physician. He had full knowledge of my medical situation. He discussed alternatives with me, and has always been very supportive and genuinely interested in me and helping me. I have the highest regard for, and confidence in, Dr. Kaffenberger.
Discussed options, chose course of action and did it. Great
He was great to explain good and bad issues and what to do.
Always a very pleasant visit.Always enjoy the appointment.
All good
Dr Kaffenbarger is terrific remembered issues from the past, asked about them, asked about current questions or concerns and gives very straightforward answers. This would be good to do and you probably don't want to do that. Very very helpful.Always asks about my family and outside of medical visit "life". Very positive yet honest in what he thinks is possible to achieve. (As an outcome. Grounded and realistic. This is also very helpful!)
Excellent
I can't describe how much I love Dr. Kaffenberger.
Very easy to talk to. Good listener.Very encouraging and friendly. So glad I had the appointment!
Very thorough and personable
Very good customer and medical service was provided.
Listened to my concerns
All good G
It feels like he always takes his time.
Very efficient thoughtful and asked me if I had any concerns
Good
Dr. Kaffenberg is great. During the visit, he checked out a growth that turned out to be a benign cyst. He removed it during the regularly scheduled checkup. The cyst was big enough to require two stitches, but I was amazed at how easy the procedure was. I expected to have some pain or discomfort once the lidocaine wore off, but there was absolutely none.
The doctor listened to my health concerns and then discussed them in a way I could understand. He is very knowledgeable. He shows empathy. I appreciate his healthcare.
I wish Dr. K could be my provider for every system. He is one of the most kind and respectful providers I have had over the years, and I have 100% confidence in his care and expertise.
Always willing to listens and tries to provide the best care
Very attentive
He is very through in his exam
Knowledgeable; answered questions directly, gave me opportunity to be a part of decisions concerning my health
This doctor was excellent in every way.
Dr. Kaffenberger- excellent bedside manner, great surgical skills. Followed up with me and listened to my concerns. I would recommend him to all my friends and family.
Dr. Kaffenberger is one of the best doctors I have ever had-ever. His interest, knowledge, compassion, professionalism, and skill is evident in each and every encounter - from in-person surgical excisions to My Chart responses. He is truly an exceptional partner provider in my care. He is a stand-out in OSU physicians.
All good
Dr. Kaffenberger always asks about us personally and remembers things from our previous visits. Was up to date on my husband's recent medical issues.
Excellent. Patient, listens, allows the me for questions and feedback. Will return.
Dr Kaffenberger is always very caring, respectful, and attentive.
He is the best provider I have ever seen. I have seen countless doctors and no one would push to find what is wrong. He did until he figured it out. Very smart, thoughtful and caring. He is amazing
Excellent care!
Nothing bad, all good.
Very kind, very good at allowing the patient to speak on health issues and explain things of much concern and what dioes and doesn't seem to be working with trail and error, soft spoken, not in a hurry to get appt done, explains current treatment plan and other treatments too
So very kind, respectful, and discreet
Dr. Kaffenberger is very conscientious and knowledgeable. He is an excellent diagnostician. I appreciate his diligence in following a potential problem situation and taking the necessary steps to obtain the needed care. I highly recommend him.
Did not rush
Dr B. Kaffenberger is an excellent, caring dermatologist. He always listens carefully, is caring, kind & understanding.
Best provider for my situation. The very best!
He explained everything well, gave a variety of options
Allgood
He's always kind and respectful. Probably the best caregiver I have ever had.
As always Dr Kaffenberger was very thorough.
Working toward goal for daughter
Outstanding
Always explains everything I have a question about
Always have a good experience at appointment. Have total confidence in Dr. Kaffenberger.
I have been in Dr. Kaffenberger's care for around 5 years now for my autoimmune disorder. I don't believe that I would have gotten better care from Dr.K and his staff ANYWHERE else. He has knowledge and expertise in my disorder - I routinely have to explain to other medical professionals about my condition, as it is rather rare. But Dr. Kaffenberger is a renown research professional, and I am grateful to be in his care.
My experience is that Dr. Kaffenberger is knowledgeable, helpful and dedicated to providing excellent healthcare to me.
Engaged
Provider was knowledgeable, approachable and reassuring
Excellent Very good experience.
Excellent; lot of trust
Caring, informed, interested, approachable
He was attentive; answered questions fully.Hardest part is trying to make an appt. Between yearly checkups. Basically impossible.
Dr. Kaffenberger is a perfect examples of what makes OSU our choice for my complex medical care. Compassionate, caring, listens to my concerns and takes time with me. He has been there for me through a very long and hard battle with my health and the condition he manages for me. I am so thankful to have him as a part of my care team.
Good
Dr. Kaffenberger is a competent, knowledgeable, and professional practicioner. I have no doubt that he has the best health interests of his patients and am fortunate to have him as my dermatologist. He is also empathic, which distinguishes him from some other doctors.
Dr. Kaffenberger is an excellent provider. He has has good information to share with me about my condition and various treatment options. He's very concerned about finding a good treatment for my symptoms.
I absolutely love Ben Kaffenberger. He has helped me heal a major issue in my life.
Dr. Kaffenberger is always thorough, professional, and kind. He is very knowledgeable and can put my fears and concerns to rest. I always have a great experience with him and his team.
Dr. Kaffenberger is always so knowledgeable about my condition and open to new treatments to improve my quality of life.
Dr. Kafenberger is always patient and very concerned with my treatment and care for my pyodermagangrenosum. He has excellent bedside manor and always is transparent with my treatment.
Always respect and Excellent care
Dr Kaffenberger was very conversational and attentive to all issues, including the main reason I was there - biopsy of mole.
He had a thorough understanding of my chart and history. He treated me as a person and recalled a bit of information about me. He did a great job with instructing a medical student during my exam.
Always shows and respect. Always addresses all issues in a kind and compassionate way.
Dr. Benjamin Kaffenberger and his staff are remarkable. Always Incredibly kind courteous and knowledgeable. They are also ALWAYS on time!
Excellent provider and compassionate and caring Dr.
He was very professional and professional
THE VERY BEST OF THE BEST!!!!
An Excellent physician. Very knowledgeable and very attentiive, He listens well to the patient.
Dr. Kaffenberger is top notch. Always is super thorough and takes his time when we are there to see him. He is very mindful of our 3 hour drive, and is just a fantastic physician!
Very good
Dr. Ben recently did a skin graft for me. He knew I was nervous so he really did an excellent job at walking me through everything and making sure I was comfortable. As complications arose following the procedure he responded right away to my concerns and got me into his office so that we could address the issue. He knew I was dishearten by the residual scarring so he did his best to make things look as clean as possible. I'm so thankful for is empathy, compassion, and dedication.
He is the most caring person that I've ever met.
Gentle;professional; friendly. Feel like I finally got where I needed to be.
Good
Dr. Kaffenberger is fantastic. He provides high quality care in a very compassionate and understanding way.
They were all better than good. Wonderful and caring people in the right profession.
Excellent provider - very personable and caring.
Dr K is always very caring and attentive. Unlike other dermatologists I have seen in the past, he spent an ample amount of time was me, and I didn't feel rushed. Very easy to work with
Excellent listener
Dr. Kaffenberger is an outstanding clinician. He kind, knowledgeable, and very attentive. He is a model of professionalism and clinical excellence.
Excellent
Dr Kaffenberger is one of the kindest, most understanding and caring doctors within the OSUSystem. He is brilliant, easy to talk to and so reassuring.
Dr Ben is a fantastic doctor
He was very efficient and kind.
Dr. K is an exceptional, brilliant Dr. He has treated both my husband me and I wouldn't go to anyone else.
Good
Willing to help me professionally
Dr. Always very friendly & pleasant. He takes time to make sure I understand all the answers to my questions. He examines me thoroughly from head to toe.
I think he is great. Very knowledgeable an friendly
This was a dermatology check up and my first time seeing this specific doctor. He was wonderful. Very friendly, respectful, and thorough. I appreciate his feedback regarding my questions and that he offered various next steps. He provided good information about my current risk for skin cancer and when to schedule my next check up. I would highly recommend this office and this specific doctor.
He is the best and has done wonders for my condition.
Pleasant, friendly, knowledgeable, professional, great listener, respectful
Ben Kaffenbarger is thoughtful, answers questions well, is terrific!
Very caring and personable. Very thorough.
He is patient, thorough, kind, and thoughtful.
Dr K very knowledgeable and attentive to my concerns about my skin.