TMJ, Headache & Sleep Apnea Care for San Francisco
Down the Peninsula by car or Caltrain — many San Franciscans make the trip.
Our practice has cared for patients from San Francisco for decades — the clinic's founder served patients from San Francisco to the Monterey Peninsula — and San Franciscans still make up a meaningful share of the people we see. Our San Carlos office is about 25 miles south of the city, in the middle of the Peninsula.
Patients come from every part of San Francisco, often because they are looking for a board-certified Oral Medicine specialist who treats TMJ disorders, headaches, facial pain, and sleep apnea with non-drug, non-invasive care.
Getting to Our San Carlos Office from San Francisco
US-101 south is the most direct route (35–60 minutes depending on traffic). I-280 south is often smoother from the west side of the city. From either freeway, head to El Camino Real in San Carlos and turn west onto San Carlos Avenue; the office is about a mile up the avenue.
Caltrain from San Francisco (4th & King) to San Carlos station takes under an hour on most trains; the office is about a mile from the station.
NorCal TMJ & Sleep Apnea Clinic · 1785 San Carlos Ave, Unit 4, San Carlos, CA 94070 · Directions · (650) 369-9227 (call or text) · Mon, Tue & Wed, 8am–5pm
We welcome patients from San Francisco neighborhoods such as The Sunset, The Richmond, Noe Valley, The Mission, Bernal Heights, SoMa, Pacific Heights, and The Marina.
Why San Francisco Patients Choose an Oral Medicine Specialist
San Francisco has many dentists and physicians, but relatively few specialists trained in Oral Medicine — the field that sits between dentistry and medicine and focuses on conditions like TMJ disorders, orofacial pain, and sleep-disordered breathing. Dr. Dina Hammouda is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Medicine, a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, and an AADSM Qualified Dentist in dental sleep medicine.
Because our approach is conservative and individualized, most San Francisco patients find that the visits are worth the trip.
What We Evaluate
- Headaches & migraines
- TMJ disorders & jaw pain
- Facial pain
- Neck pain
- Ear pain, fullness & tinnitus
- Teeth grinding & clenching
- Worn teeth
- Sleep apnea, snoring & the airway
- Tongue tie
- Trauma & whiplash
Treatment, when appropriate, is conservative and individualized. The ways we help include Head & Neck Decompression™, Jaw Support Therapy™, TMJ orthotic therapy, and oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea — selected from your findings, never a routine protocol.
Questions from San Francisco Patients
Do you see patients from San Francisco?
Yes. Our office is in San Carlos, about 25 miles south of San Francisco — 35–60 minutes by car via US-101 or I-280, or under an hour by Caltrain to San Carlos station.
What is Oral Medicine?
Oral Medicine is the dental specialty concerned with the diagnosis and non-surgical management of conditions affecting the mouth, jaws, and face — including TMJ disorders, orofacial pain, and sleep-related breathing disorders — and with the oral health care of medically complex patients. It bridges dentistry and medicine.
Do you offer alternatives to CPAP?
Yes. For appropriate patients with obstructive sleep apnea, we provide custom oral appliance therapy — a non-surgical CPAP alternative. A sleep study is needed for diagnosis; bring the report if you have one.
Do I need a referral, and do you take insurance?
No referral is necessary for most patients. To provide the highest level of care without the limitations of insurance, we are out of network with most insurance providers. We provide a Superbill you can submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement. Call or text (650) 369-9227 with questions.
Also serving: San Mateo Redwood City Belmont Foster City Menlo Park Palo Alto Burlingame San Jose · All areas