Nearly half of US adults 30 and older have some form of gum disease, according to the CDC. Most of them never feel a thing. But that quiet inflammation doesn’t always stay put. Research links it to bigger concerns like heart health and blood sugar.
That’s the idea behind functional dentistry, and it’s reshaping how some Lakewood practices think about a routine cleaning. The mouth isn’t a separate machine. It’s part of the rest of the body.
Balanced Dental Studio, a functional dentistry practice in Lakewood, CO, was built around that simple truth. The team there treats teeth and gums as a window into overall health — not a problem to patch and forget.
Treating the Whole Person, Not Just the Tooth
Functional dentistry starts with a wider lens. Teeth and gums get treated as part of a person’s overall health, not as parts to fix one by one.
Conventional dentistry often works tooth by tooth. A cavity shows up, it gets filled, and the visit ends there. Functional care asks a different question: why did this happen, and what else might it affect?
“We don’t treat a tooth as a separate thing from the rest of you,” says Dr. Elizabeth Turner. “The mouth is connected to your whole body, and we believe care should reflect that.”
What Functional Care Looks Like Day to Day
The philosophy isn’t just talk. It shows up in small, practical choices at every visit.
Here are the functional pillars the practice offers right now:
- Biocompatible fillings and crowns — mercury-free, metal-free materials picked to work with the body.
- Early-decay care — minimally invasive treatment that can strengthen a weak tooth instead of drilling it.
- Nutritional counseling — simple food guidance, since diet shapes the health of teeth and gums.
- TMJ and jaw-pain care — treatment for bite problems tied to headaches and tension.
One thread runs through all of it: prevention first. The goal is to protect a tooth now, not rebuild it later.
“A lot of dental problems are easier to prevent than to repair,” says Dr. Turner. “When we catch things early, we can often protect a tooth rather than rebuild it later.”
The Team Behind the Care
Dr. Elizabeth Turner leads the practice. She earned her dental degree at Tufts University and trained further at the University of New Mexico. She serves as visiting faculty for Spear Education, a respected name in dental training. Her work spans cosmetic and minimally invasive dentistry, implants, TMD, and root canals. She’s also a certified Invisalign provider with a laser dentistry certification.
Dr. Katie Johnson is a Colorado native who earned her dental degree at USC. She’s been named a 5280 Top Dentist. She describes her work as integrative dentistry — care that looks at systems and function, not just single teeth. She’s a member of the American Equilibration Society.
Dr. Manisha Wohlford rounds out the team with a focus on calm, patient-centered care. She belongs to the Colorado Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, and the ADA.
Patients seem to notice the difference. The practice holds a 4.9-star rating across more than 230 Google reviews.
Comfort Built In, Technology That Keeps Up
Plenty of people dread the dentist. Balanced Dental Studio designs the visit to take the edge off.
A patient settles into the chair with headphones on and a show playing overhead. The room feels calm, not tense. The pace stays unhurried.
The tools keep pace with that calm. Same-day crowns get designed and finished in a single visit — no second appointment, no temporary cap. And 3D imaging gives the team a clear picture before any treatment starts. Less guesswork means fewer surprises.
Put together, it adds up to something simple. Patients can actually relax.
Where a Healthy Smile Meets a Confident One
A confident smile works best on a healthy foundation. At Balanced Dental Studio, cosmetic care builds on that base rather than ignoring it.
Options like Invisalign, whitening, and veneers can brighten and straighten a smile. The aim is results that look natural and support health at the same time.
That balance speaks to the practice’s core patients: health-minded families and busy professionals across Lakewood and the Denver metro area.
“People are paying more attention to how everything in their health is linked,” says Dr. Turner. “Their dental care should be part of that, not separate from it.”
