Dental Sleep Medicine with Dr. Sara Viernes

What if better sleep, healthier breathing, and improved overall wellness started with your oral health?

In this episode of Purpose Beyond Practice Podcast, host Dipesh Sitaram welcomes Dr. Sara Viernes, a dental professional based in Carmel, Indiana, who is developing a multidisciplinary center focused on airway health, dental sleep medicine, TMJ disorders, and orofacial pain.

Dr. Viernes shares her vision for Guided Airway Dental Sleep Medicine, a practice designed to bring dental and medical professionals together to provide more personalized, coordinated patient care.

A New Approach to Dental Sleep Medicine

Dental care goes far beyond cleaning teeth and filling cavities. Dr. Viernes explains how oral health connects with breathing, sleep quality, jaw development, and overall wellness.

She discusses the importance of working with pediatricians, myofunctional therapists, speech pathologists, physical therapists, and other healthcare professionals to address complex patient needs.

The conversation also explores how early childhood feeding habits, mouth breathing, chronic congestion, and jaw development can influence oral health as children grow.

Key Takeaways

• The connection between oral health and sleep: Learn how dental sleep medicine addresses breathing-related concerns and how oral therapies can play a role in coordinated treatment.

• Why early intervention matters: Discover the signs parents can watch for, including mouth breathing, feeding difficulties, frequent ear infections, and crowded teeth.

• The value of collaborative healthcare: Understand why dentists, physicians, therapists, and other professionals need to work together when treating complex airway and jaw conditions.

• Personalized care beyond insurance limitations: Hear Dr. Viernes' perspective on helping patients understand their treatment options and make informed decisions about their health.

• Building a purpose-driven practice: Explore how continuing education, professional mentorship, and a commitment to patient-centered care have shaped Dr. Viernes' career.

• Planning for financial freedom and legacy: Learn why Dr. Viernes is thinking beyond her dental practice to create financial security, enjoy more time with family, and support future generations.

About Dr. Sara Viernes

Dr. Sara Viernes is a dental professional based in Carmel, Indiana, with a focus on airway health, dental sleep medicine, temporomandibular joint disorders, and orofacial pain.

Through Guided Airway Dental Sleep Medicine, she is working to establish a collaborative care center that brings together professionals from multiple healthcare disciplines.

Her approach emphasizes education, early intervention, individualized treatment planning, and the connection between oral health and overall wellness.

Beyond dentistry, Dr. Viernes is passionate about professional growth, mentorship, family, travel, and building a lasting financial legacy.