Celebrating their 40th year in dental care, Dr. Marc Worob and Dr. Elyse Barron of 12 Oaks Dental in Austin believe in a holistic approach to dentistry that encompasses more than just filling cavities.

Their practice identifies food sensitivities, addresses sleep disorders, corrects jaw misalignments and prevents gum disease and dry mouth as part of complete-health dentistry.

"Research confirms that what happens in the mouth affects the rest of your body. We have to look beyond the teeth to see what else is taking place, because a lot of things that are happening with patients can relate back to things that are going on in their mouth,” Dr. Worob said. “This connection between mouth and body is something we believe is not adequately addressed. By looking at their overall health, we can do more to help our patients be healthier and live better lives."

12 Oaks Dental's commitment to personalized care is a key factor in the positive feedback from patients. Dr. Barron emphasized the practice's ability to establish trust and build long-term relationships and connections with patients, some of whom are fifth-generation patients.

Additionally, the practice prioritizes caring for the patient's overall well-being, taking into account factors such as sleep, nutrition and mental health.

"During the first appointment with our patients, we spend quite a bit of time getting to know them, finding out what makes them anxious, what bad experiences they've had in the past, what makes them feel better, what specific health concerns they have," Dr. Worob said. "Everything we do is tailored to help that person as an individual and unique person.”



As a fee-for-service dental office, 12 Oaks Dental is free from the treatment directives of insurance companies, allowing them to provide this level of individualized care to their patients.

“We do have an in-house membership plan for those without insurance. Sometimes dental treatment can be costly and we try to find a way for it to fit into people's lifestyles,” Dr. Worob said.”We have various programs to help patients achieve their goals. We can work with patients to help them get where they want to get down the road and to the level of health that they desire."

Referring patients to ear, nose and throat specialists is one way that 12 Oaks Dental has supported patients’ well-being. As part of their philosophy of care, Dr. Worob and Dr. Barron emphasized the importance of working with physicians as partners in addressing patients' health needs.

"We can help our patients by helping them discover that they have issues they weren't aware of," Dr. Worob said. "It may be a heart problem or finding someone who unfortunately has cancer but we refer them to the appropriate specialists to be treated."

It is important for doctors to educate their patients because not everyone has the same knowledge base, Dr. Worob said.

12 Oaks Dental prides itself on teaching people how to be healthier by coaching them, training them and providing resources if they don't know the answer.

“For example, sometimes people come into our office with gut problems they haven't been able to pinpoint, and we'll run them through our food-sensitivity testing panel to identify these problems and help them eliminate them,” Dr. Worob said. “The result is that they feel better, and it has nothing to do with their teeth. Healthcare providers must meet people where they are at as they need a variety of different types of help. We're here to help you achieve the best healthy smile you can have."

Continuing education is a big part of the practice as well to ensure the staff stays up-to-date with the latest developments and technology. Between the two of them, Dr. Worob and Dr. Barron have completed thousands of hours of continuing education, often allowing their whole team the opportunity to attend as well.

"Some dentists just learn by themselves, but we like to involve the whole team since they're all vital, important aspects of treating our patients," Dr. Worob said.

By incorporating a whole-body wellness approach into its dentistry and building long lasting relationships, a beautiful and healthy smile is what patients can expect from 12 Oaks Dental.

Discover a healthier you with comprehensive dental care from 12 Oaks Dental. For more information call 512-798-0492, visit their website or come by at 11623 Angus Road, Bldg. D, Ste. 16, Austin.

The above story was produced by Holly Galvan with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team. Our integrity promise to our readers is to clearly identify all CI Storytelling posts so they are separate from the content decided upon, researched and written by our journalism department.