Dr. Kaiyra Salcido's dentistry journey to opening her own practice

Photos and article by Mary Alice Murphy

(More photos below)

Residents of Grant County who regularly travel northward on New Mexico Highway 15, better known to many as the Pinos Altos Road, have watched construction and almost total renovation of the former veterinary clinic of Dr. Linda Locklar, which was also the temporary veterinary clinic for Advanced Veterinary Care before they built their state of the art clinic on the west side of Silver City. Many, including this writer, may have wondered who was renovating the building and what it would be used for.

The news is out. Dr. Kaiyra Salcido, DDS, is behind the new well-lighted facility just north of 32nd Street. She hopes to see her first dental patient on March 11.

How did her journey to dentistry begin? "I've wanted to be a dentist since I was 3 ½ years of age. I guess I was misbehaving in a store and slipped and fell. I knocked out two of my front baby teeth. My mom took me to see Dr. York. I remember that he was bald, and the light was shining on his head. I thought he looked like Mr. Clean. I told my mom on the way home that I wanted to be a dentist. I, at that age, of course, didn't know what it would entail. I didn't even know what dentistry was, but I never varied from my wish to be a dentist."

She said that she likes art and enjoys science and helping people. "Dentistry puts all those together."

She did her undergraduate work at the University of New Mexico, majoring in biology and Spanish. She completed her graduate studies at the Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, Nebraska. "I met Mr. (Eric) Storjohann in Omaha." They are married and have a daughter Arie.

Salcido has worked for federally qualified health care clinics, including Hidalgo Medical Services in Silver City and currently part-time at Ben Archer in Deming.

"This is my first time on my own," Salcido said. "It's scary, liberating, exciting and stressful. I've only done public health, which I love, but this opportunity will let me continue to do what I love, combining art and science. My whole point of going into dentistry was to be able to come home and live and work where I grew up, while providing service to my community. I've taken on a huge responsibility, with redoing the building and hiring people to work with me."

She said she will do the traditional types of dentistry, but she will actually have two businesses—the Artistic Smiles practicing dentistry and the Airway Institute, providing cutting edge treatments for sleep apnea.

The Airway Institute will provide options for sleep apnea that involve no surgery, no medications and no CPAP machines, which she described as the "current gold-standard treatment for sleep apnea."

"I will be one of only three dentists in New Mexico providing the sleep apnea airway treatment," she continued. "Because I was working only part-time, it gave me the option to take all these classes on sleep apnea. The treatment involves a sort of retainer that expands the mouth and airways."

Salcido has already hired a woman to be an office manager and dental assistant, as well as a woman who will be a dental assistant.

She is prepared to begin the airway treatments as soon as she opens, planned for March 11.

The airway treatment will start with a home sleep test and lots of mouth and facial measurements, which will give a report to basically set out what the treatment plan will involve.

She noted that those with airway issues may have them because of genetics, but also because of the environment and diets. "I want to start with pediatric patients, so they don't need airway treatment as they get older. The training piece, the retainer, positions the tongue so the person can breathe properly and helps enlarge the airway."

Salcido she was wants function more than aesthetics, "although I do appreciate the aesthetics, too. I want to improve a person's life with the airway treatment. It's a non-invasive, holistic approach without medications, visit https://www.opaortho.com/ambien-sleep-medicine/. The process can last 18-24 months, depending on compliance. It's only worn when the person is at home or asleep. It's a big commitment but will make a big difference in the quality of sleep."

As for price, she said for children, it would be about equal to the price of braces, and for adults, probably 1½ times as much depending on what the person desires. Age, she said, is not a determining factor, but the condition of the teeth is a factor.

"I'm excited about what kind of impact it will make in people's lives," Salcido said. "With improved breathing, they will not be tired all the time, will have more energy, and better sleep."

The Airway Institute and Artistic Smiles facility is located at 3801 Pinos Altos Road, a short way north of 32nd Street. The phone number to make appointments is 575-597-3801.