ABOUT US
Meet Dr. Carol Gabriel
DDS, DABOP, FAAOP
- Board Certified Orofacial Pain Specialist
- Diplomate, American Board of Orofacial Pain
- Fellow, American Academy of Orofacial Pain
Dr. Gabriel received her DDS degree in 2001, then practiced general dentistry in multiple settings. After years of general dentistry, she decided her passion was treating patients with non odontogenic facial pain, with a focus on patients with headaches attributed to TMD and other headache disorders. Therefore, she went on to train in the University of Kentucky Orofacial Pain program.
She trained extensively in a 2-year Orofacial Pain Residency program under the direct mentorship of world renown Dr. Jeff Okeson, the father of Orofacial Pain. Dr. Gabriel has managed thousands of patients who suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea/Snoring, and various disorders related to Temporomandibular Joints Disorders (TMD).
During her postgraduate residency program in Orofacial Pain, Dr. Gabriel began and continues to treat a wide variety of oral medical conditions including Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Myofascial Pain, Dystonia, TMD, Burning Mouth Syndrome, Central Post Stroke Pain, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), and post-radiation Oral Cancer patients. She is skilled in managing atypical facial pain such as Trigeminal Neuralgia, Headaches attributed to TMDs, and Neuropathic Pain Disorders, with training in Smoke Cessation and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Dr. Gabriel acknowledges the Opioid crisis in the dental field, and has served on an expert panel and co-authored a paper through John Hopkin’s University. It was published in the International Journal of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery and focused on, “Opioid Guidelines for Common Dental Surgical Procedures.”
Her goal as an Orofacial Pain/Sleep Medicine specialist is to serve the community by providing the highest quality dental care possible. Dr. Gabriel believes in treating her patients like they are family, and strives to listen to their needs and treat them with compassion, honesty, and skill. She enjoys caring for her patients’ oral health and wellness while building lasting relationships with her patients and their families.
As a practice limited to Orofacial Pain and Dental Sleep Medicine, her treatment philosophy does NOT include altering the patient’s bite. Treatment modalities for facial pain include patient education, basic physical medicine, injection therapy, nerve blocks, Botox, laser therapy, medication management, and conservative therapy with dental appliances.
Affiliation:
Dr. Gabriel is affiliated with Inova Fairfax hospital, and you can find her on Inova’s website as the only Orofacial Pain provider under the Oral Surgery department.
Post-Graduate Education:
Orofacial Pain Residency Program
University of Kentucky College of Dentistry
– Lexington, KY 2015-2017
Certifications & Memberships:
- Diplomate, American Board of Orofacial Pain
- Fellow of American Academy of Orofacial Pain
- Certified in Laser Dentistry
- Certified in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Member of American Academy of Laser Dentistry
- Member of the American Dental Association
- Member of Virginia Dental Association
- Member of Academy of General Dentistry
- Member of Northern Virginia Dental Society
Services include:
- Splint therapy
- Diagnostic & therapeutic injections
- Pharmacological treatment
- Oral appliance therapy for snoring and apnea
- Nerve blocks
- Low level laser therapy
- Botox
What our patients say about Dr.Gabriel
Life & Hobbies
Dr. Gabriel enjoys spending time with her husband and three children. She is an avid tennis and soccer fan and loves connecting with friends on the weekends. She also enjoys outdoor activities and working out.
