Stacy Ochoa D.D.S., D.-A.B.D.S.M., F.I.C.O.I.
Dr. Ochoa graduated from the St. Louis Community College-Forest Park dental hygiene program in 1995. She went on to dental school at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry, graduating with distinction and honors in 2002. She is a Diplomate with the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine and certified with special knowledge and training in dental sleep medicine.
Dr. Ochoa started her journey in Dental Sleep Medicine 16 years ago when her Dad was found to be CPAP intolerant. She took on this journey as a fight to literally save her Dad’s life. She took all the courses she could as well as obtained Diplomate status with the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine (ABDSM). Dr. Ochoa was one of the first Diplomates in the St. Louis area and has gained the respect of her local Physicians by working collaboratively and communicating well with her medical colleagues in a much-needed interdisciplinary approach.
Unfortunately, in 2017, Valentine’s night, her Dad lost his life in his sleep.
His oral appliance was found sitting on the bathroom sink.
This further ignited a passion in her to find a way to help others… to offset the health burdens that OSA has on both adults, their children… and now HER children.
During this time she also realized that all 5 children in her own home had a form of Sleep Disordered Breathing, Apnea, or Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome.
No one was coming to her aide to HELP HER OWN CHILDREN. Beyond tonsilloadenoidectomy and CPAP there seemed to be no options. She knew there HAD to be something else!!! She wanted answers! She was a mother on a mission, and nothing was going to stop her!
She couldn’t ignore sleep and breathing problems in her own children, so how could she continue to ignore them in her patients?
As such, her DSM practice transitioned from treatment of adults to include children as well.
Stacy then took the following courses on her journey looking for answers for her own children and the parents who would put their trust in her helping their children.
- Biobloc Coursework
- MSE/TAD Expansion Coursework
- Pediatric Orthodontic/Pedic Intervention Coursework
- ALF Coursework (Under Dr. Darick Nordstrom, Inventor of the ALF therapy)
- Buteyko Breathing
- Myobrace/Healthy Start/Myomunchee and other functional appliance Coursework
- Training with Dr. Stasha Gominak (Harvard-trained Neurologist) on the role of Vitamin D and Sleep.
- Collaboration with The Amen Clinics and SPECT Imaging
- Studying the Endocannabinoid System (the role of EBs and Phyto EBs on sleep health)
- Studying the role of Restless Leg Syndrome’s impact on sleep health
And… she is Not done…because she knows there is more.
Dr. Ochoa actively pursues continuing education to incorporate the latest techniques and advanced treatment for her patients. She is proud to offer her patients microscope-enhanced dentistry, which allows intraoral structures to be examined at an extremely high level of magnification, facilitating a more thorough diagnosis and precise treatment. Since 2008, Dr. Ochoa has repeatedly been awarded St. Louis’ Top Dentist status by St. Louis Magazine. She enjoys volunteering and giving back to the community with events like Give Kids a Smile, which she hosted in 2009. Dr. Ochoa is also a fellow with the International Congress of Oral Implantologists.
Today, she is one of the CoFounders of ASAP Pathway, Airway Sleep and Pediatric Pathway. She continues to lecture across the country at local clubs and organizations raising awareness of this treatable and preventable epidemic. She also mentors others on this journey and helps guide dentists on their paths to bring this much-needed intervention into their dental practices. She juggles the roles of Mom, Dentist, Business Owner, and Pediatric Airway Warrior, sometimes dropping a ball as we all do, but picking it right back up and juggling away… because it’s important.