Denver dentist, Dr. Guy Grabiak DMD, FAGD graduated from the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Dental Medicine in 1990 after completing his undergraduate kinesiology training at UCLA. Over the next nine years, he completed three tours of active duty in the United States Air Force. He received Air Force Commendation Medals at Edwards AFB, California, Ramstein AFB, Germany, and Howard AFB, Republic of Panama. Separating from the military at the rank of Major, he entered private practice in Colorado in April 2000. His Denver dental practice focuses on providing optimal esthetic care in a comfortable setting. As a Denver AACD dentist he continued his education at the Pankey Institute in Key Biscayne, Florida and the Dawson Center for Advanced Dental Studies, St. Petersburg, Florida. In 2009 he became a Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry.
Dr. Grabiak DMD, FAGD has completed extensive dentistry training in advanced dental techniques and typically completes 100-150 hours of dental continuing education classes yearly. This is six times more than most states licensing requirements.
His passion for continued education led him to Biological Dentistry. While Holistic/ Biological Dentistry is not a separate, recognized, specialty of dentistry, it is a thought process and an attitude that can apply to all facets of dental practice and to health care in general. Dr. Grabiak is determined to always seek the safest, least toxic way to accomplish the goals of modern dentistry. He believes the theory of biological dentistry can inform and intersect with all topics of conversation in health care, as the well-being of the mouth is an integral part of the health of the whole person.
Dentist Dr. Grabiak DMD, FAGD promotes an active lifestyle, and enjoys skiing, hiking, horseback riding, shooting and he travels extensively. He volunteers extensively with the Golden, Colorado based Westernaires, where his daughters participate in learning horsemanship, teamwork, and leadership skills. Dr. Grabiak is a pet lover and bulldog enthusiast.
Angelina is a native of Colorado with over 18 years of experience in dental hygiene. She started her education at the Community College of Denver. There she graduated from her program Magna Cum Laude earning an Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene. She continued her education at the University of Bridgeport, Fones School of Dental Hygiene. Again graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene. Her passion is preventive and therapeutic care. She delights in helping practice clientele by keeping up with science and products enabling the client to make the right choice for their oral health.
This commitment prompted her to obtain accreditation from the IAOMT in BiologicalDental Hygiene. Completion of the program verifies she has been trained and tested in the comprehensive application of biological dental hygiene, and has a comprehensive understanding of dental hygienes undeniable role in systemic health. Angelina regularly utilizes leading edge holistic and traditional procedures and techniques to support her clientele in their quest to maintain or regain oral health.
When not on the job you can catch her hiking the Rocky Mountains with her family, satisfying her sweet tooth by experimenting with new recipes, or exploring new places. Her goals for the future are to maintain a good work life balance, while exploring all that a career in dental hygiene has to offer.
In 2016, she earned her Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration. After a career change Chantel studied dental assisting at the Colorado Dental Assisting School where she obtained her Dental Radiology certificate, Dental Assisting certificate and CPR certificate. Graduating with honors she then went on to complete an internship with a practicing dentist.
In her new found enthusiasm for oral health and overall health, she decided to seek outa holistic practice that would embody her values. Chantel joined Denver Dentistry in April 2020 and is excited to grow her career with an amazing staff and clientele. Helping patients achieve their dental goals is something she is passionate about. Chantel is dedicated to perfecting her assisting techniques, and is studying to become an Expanded Duties Dental Assistant with the possibility of furthering her career in later years to become a Dental Hygienist.
Chantel enjoys traveling. She has been to at least 6 different countries and 22 states. Originally from Alaska she has a love for the outdoors, snow, and mountains. Family time is important to her so making new memories with her son, husband, and three dogs are always on her to do list.
Taylor was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. She moved to Colorado in 2018 after obtaining her Dental Radiology certificate, CRP training, and certificate of dental assisting at the Laurel Institute for Dental Assistants. As always, improving your health is our mission and Denver Dentistry strives to make infection prevention our top priority. Taylor joined Denver Dentistry at the start of the COVID pandemic to ensure our office had the highest infection control practices and adherence to Standard Precautions and other infection control recommendations made by the CDC, OSHA, WHO and other governing agencies. Her commitment to these practical cornerstones to help ensure we provide a safe environment for our patients and staff.
Jeromy received his Bachelors of Science in Finance from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He moved to Colorado in 2015 from Central New York (small town outside of Syracuse) and that is when his career in the dental field began. Jeromy currently lives in Sheridan and enjoys living close to the mountains. In his free time he enjoys spending time with family, rock climbing, snowboarding, playing soccer and basketball, camping, and hiking. Jeromy is passionate about delivering excellent customer service and assisting the team in bringing more smiles to satisfied patients.
If you need help with sleep apnea, you might think you need to work closely with your family doctor and wear a CPAP machine. Your Denver dentist could also be an asset, depending on the severity of your sleep apnea. Littleton dentist Dr. Guy Grabiak may be able to help you stop snoring, get a better nights sleep, and could potentially do this with an alternative to a CPAP machine. A restful nights sleep could have a positive impact on every facet of your life!
Sleep Apnea is a condition where the air passage from the mouth to the lungs is blocked due to the collapse of soft tissue at the back of throat during sleep. The muscles in the throat (including the tongue, which is a very large muscle) relax during the night and, in particular, if you sleep on your back, they can relax so much that they cut off your air.
The word apnea is of Greek origin and means without breath. Literally, the person has his or her breath cut off, sometimes hundreds of times each night, and they may not even be aware of the condition. They only know that they are constantly tired from unknowingly waking up during the night. Or, their nighttime partner may inform them that they snore excessively, which is major symptom of obstructive sleep apnea.
My quality of life is ten times what it was a month ago when I first walked through the doors. I went from having nothing to look forward to everyday, to when I walked out of here a week ago I was bouncing to my car. Becky Franks Van Hout
Surgery Early on, a tracheotomy was used to create a hole in the throat through which air could bypass any soft tissue obstruction. During the day, the hole was plugged and during the night, opened up to allow the passage of air. Obviously, this was a fairly radical solution if, considering nothing else, the potential for infection of an open hole in your throat.
After tracheotomies, surgical treatment for sleep apnea most often involves the removal of excess soft tissue in the throat which is the culprit in causing the problem. This may include shortening the uvula (the small, droopy thing at the back of your throat) and removing the tonsils and adenoids. However, the surgery does not necessarily guarantee that your sleep apnea will be reduced or eliminated. Beyond this treatment, a relatively new procedure called Somnoplasty was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1998 which involves multiple treatments to shrink the tongue and palate. Even newer than Somnoplasty is a procedure called tongue suspension where a screw is inserted in the jaw below the tongue and the tongue is stitched up to prevent it from collapsing.
The most prevalent treatment for sleep apnea treatment in Denver and elsewhere has been the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine. This machine is a small air compressor which delivers a mild stream of air into a persons airway in order to keep the soft tissue from collapsing and causing the sleeper to awake momentarily, gasping for air. The air pressure is delivered via a hose with some type of attachment that is connected to the nose or mouth. Very often, the attachment can be something on the order of a pilots air mask covering and sealing the nose/mouth so that positive air pressure can be maintained.
However unlike a sports mouthguard it is a discreet, precision-made and clinically-tested FDA approved device. It is easy and comfortable to wear. Because is it made of two separate pieces the patient is able to talk, yawn and drink water. SomnoDent MAS is a highly effective treatment method for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) with patients often having higher compliance rates than CPAP. Studies show that over 90% patients with OSA stated that they will continue using Somnodent MAS. Often considered the gold standard of oral appliance therapy the SomnoDentMAS may be the answer for the majority of patients suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Its levels of patient acceptance and compliance as well as treatment efficacy are backed by a large body of clinical research.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends the use of oral devices such as the SomnoDent MAS for mild-to-moderate OSA (AHI < 25), or for patients with severe OSA who are unable to tolerate their CPAP.
The most annoying symptom of sleep apnea doesnt necessarily affect the person with the condition. More often, snoring is a common symptom, and ends up interrupting the sleep of the bed partner. Thus, to one degree or another, both people are frequently having their sleep interrupted. Beyond snoring, the sleep apnea suffer is subject to frequent nighttime cycles of suffocation, awakening and falling back to sleep. This cyclic pattern can interrupt REM (deep) sleep, thought to be a key to psychological health and rest. Beyond that, the cycle itself is insidious and results in insufficient sleep and consequential sleepiness during the day. Overwhelming daytime fatigue contributes to the risk of injury and accident from decreased attention span, judgment and reflex. The risk of automobile accident in the untreated sleep apnea patient is about 8 times that of a rested individual. Work productivity and safety can suffer. Other consequences of untreated sleep apnea include loss of libido, impotency, depression, diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, heart disease, high blood pressure, memory problems, GERD, nocturnal bruxism, weight gain and headaches. 17% of adults suffer with OSA and 23 times more likely to have a heart attack.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a medical disease. Sleep testing and oral appliance therapy are covered by most medical insurances and not covered by dental insurance. For a stress-free experience, our office will bill your health insurance directly. Most of our patients are being reimbursed anywhere from 50-80% of the cost of the appliance therapy.