Winter Retreat Speaker Spotlight – Dr. Kimberly Meyer
Speaking on the Innovation of SPG Blocks and Pain Relief
Dr. Kimberly Meyer received her Doctorate of Dental Medicine with honors from Tufts School of Dental Medicine in Boston in 1998. She completed studies in Sleep and OSA in a mini-residency at Tufts. She is a graduate of Dawson Center for Aesthetics in St. Petersburg, FL. Dr. Meyer is a Fellow in the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain and a Diplomate of the American Board of Craniofacial Dental Sleep Medicine.
Dr. Meyer became interested in early interceptive orthodontics and airway issues early in her career. She started her education with mini-residencies with Dr. John Witzig and Dr. Derek Mahoney. She opened her own dental practice in 1998 immediately after graduating. She has spent the last 20 years furthering her education and skills to treat OSA, early malocclusion, UARS and TMJ problems for adults and children.
Dr. Meyer is the Director and owner of the TMJ and Sleep Therapy Centre of New Hampshire and Meyer Family Dentistry. There are 60 TMJ and Sleep Therapy Centres spanning 7 countries to network and collaborate on educating and treating patients with these problems. Her educating continues by working with the top leaders in the fields of Sleep, TMJ, Craniofacial Pain and Orthodontics from around the world. She is honored to have learned and continue working with Dr. John Witzig, Dr. Derek Mahoney, Dr. Steven Olmos, Dr. Noshir Mehta, Dr. Jamison Spencer, Dr. Mariano Rocabado, Dr. German Ramirez-Yanez, Dr. Ed Lipskis, Dr. Chris Farrell, Dr. Barry Rapheal and Dr. Alessandro Carrafiello.
Winter Retreat Speaking Topic: “SPG 101: Block out the Pain”
Dr. Meyer will be speaking about the new, reimagined technologies available for performing an SPG block procedure. The SPG block refers to a process by which a numbing agent is applied to a collection of nerve cells called the sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) for the relief of trigeminal pain innervation to the face and skull. This is not an entirely new idea: the first SPG blocks were performed in the early 1900s for the treatment of craniofacial pain in patients. The technology of today has allowed for a newly reimagined approach to the SPG block creating a more precise and less invasive procedure.
The SPG coordinates dilation and constriction of blood vessels in the central nervous system. The block stops the turning on of the inflammatory cascade that triggers an autonomic response in the patient that can cause pain, headaches, stress and anxiety.
New technology allows us to target the sphenopalatine ganglion through a patient’s nasal passages using a flexible catheter to deliver an anesthetic agent, such as lidocaine, to stop this pain and block the autonomic response a patient would experience. In some patients, this relives facial and cranial pain, stress and anxiety for up to weeks or even months following the procedure.
Dr. Meyer will educate attendees on what an SPG block is, what conditions an SPG block can be sued to treat, and how the procedure should be performed.
The 2023 BioRESEARCH Winter Retreat and Conference will be held in January 19-21st in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic at the Grand Palladium Resort & Spa. Until October 31st, 2022 we are offering $500 off tuition to this amazing opportunity. Learn more about the experience, lectures, and venue at bioresearchinc.com/winterretreat/.
