Dr. Katherine Ahn Wallace, DDS
Dentist
11121 Los Alamitos Blvd Suite 201 Los Alamitos CA, 90720About
Dr. Katherine Ahn Wallace is a dentist who focuses on treating patients with TMJ related craniofacial pain and sleep disorders. She completed dental school and pediatric dental residency at UCLA and is able to treat patients of all ages. She founded Aviara Centers, an airway & whole body wellness center, where she works with an integrative team of providers to address the patients' concerns with a wholistic approach. The team of professionals at Aviara Centes provide health-focused orthodontics & oral surgery, TMJ therapy, sleep apnea therapy, breathing retraining, frenectomy (tongue tie & lip tie releases), orofacial myofunctional therapy, cranio-sacral fascial therapy, and integrative sleep & lifestyle medicine services.
She & her team practices in Los Alamitos, CA, San Clemente, CA, Huntington Beach, CA and Beverly Hills, CA by appointment. Dr. Wallace is also known as Dr Ahn which is her maiden name. Visit www.aviaracenters.com for appointments and more information.
Education and Training
UCLA School of Dentistry DDS 1993
Provider Details
Dr. Katherine Ahn Wallace, DDS's Expert Contributions
Can braces cause jaw pain?
Hello! If you have a small jaw, small airway, compressed TMJ, underlying misalignment of the jaw or posture,..,aligning teeth in this unstable environment can trigger pain in the TMJ, jaw, neck or head. An under developed jaw causes teeth crowding and small airway. If you are not getting enough air or oxygen while you are sleeping, you may clench or grind your teeth which causes compression in your TMJ and jaw muscle tension which can trigger pain. I recommend that you see a TMJ / Airway Dentist who can help you determine where the imbalances are, if you have postural (or sacral occipital) misalignment, have sleep apnea, and if you need to expand your jaw to create sufficient space for your teeth and tongue before proceeding with braces. Wishing you all the best. Dr Ahn Wallace READ MORE
Areas of expertise and specialization
Treatments
- General Dentistry
- Preventive care visits
- Restorative services like fillings, crowns, and bridges
- Fitting and placement of dentures
- Pediatric Treatment
- Root Canal Therapy
- Biocompatible Dentistry
- Dental Implants
- Cosmetic Dentistry
Professional Memberships
- American Dental Association
- California Dental Association
- American Academy of Craniofacial Pain
- American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine
Charities and Philanthropic Endeavors
- Founder of OCCARES (growing compassionate social entrepreneurs)
Treatments
- Orthodontics, TMJ Therapy, Sleep Apnea Therapy, frenectomy, Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy, SOT (Sacral Occipital Technique), Craniosacral Fascial Therapy, Integrative Sleep Medicine, Lifestyle and Functional Medicine
Professional Society Memberships
- AAPMD, AACP, ASDSM
Philanthropic Initiatives
- Served as the Commissioner of the Children & Families Commission of Orange County for 4 years (now First 5)
Teaching and speaking
- Aviara Institute
Favorite Place to Vacation
- Korea, Paris
Hobbies / Sports
- Cooking healthy vegan food, innovating products that improve the airway & overall health
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Get to know Dentist Dr. Katherine Ahn Wallace, who serves patients throughout the State of California.
A dedicated advocate for whole-body wellness and a passionate practitioner in the field of dentistry, Dr. Wallace is the Founder of Aviara Centers, with 4 offices located throughout California.
Embarking on a lifelong journey towards wellness early on, she was raised a vegetarian by health-conscious parents who instilled in her the importance of a healthy lifestyle. This upbringing sparked her curiosity and fueled her determination to understand how lifestyle choices can impact systemic diseases, as well as how adopting a healthy lifestyle can prevent and even reverse the disease process.
Dr. Wallace’s pursuit of knowledge led her to pursue a degree in dentistry from the prestigious UCLA School of Dentistry, which she successfully completed in 1993. During her time at UCLA, she also undertook a two-year pediatric dental residency, where she gained invaluable skills in children’s dental wellness, craniofacial development, and early orthodontics.
Driven by her commitment to holistic health, Dr. Wallace continued to expand her expertise in advanced Reconstructive Dentistry, Sleep, TMJ, and Orthodontic Therapies. By delving deeper into these specialized areas, she enhanced her ability to diagnose and address the underlying causes of various orofacial and systemic issues, always focusing on promoting overall wellness and improving her patients’ quality of life.
Beyond her professional pursuits, she also recognized the profound impact that environmental factors can have on mental and systemic disorders. Understanding how stress, loneliness, abuse, and trauma can compromise one’s well-being, she founded OCCares—a non-profit organization dedicated to the vision of Whole Body Wellness. Collaborating with esteemed institutions like UCI and Pepperdine University, OCCares works to educate young individuals on how they can make a positive impact through compassionate leadership.
Through OCCares, Dr. Wallace acts as a mentor to students who are passionate about creating social impact projects. MindfulMealsByKids.org and Recyle-Holics.org are just a couple of the initiatives that have emerged from this mentorship program. Additionally, she spearheads the Aviara Collaborative Care Project, a platform created in partnership with Aviara to further OCCares’ mission of nurturing the next generation of social entrepreneurs.
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