Meet Dr. Eric Eby of Eby Dental Care in Okemos
sponsor spotlight By Elizabeth McCabe
“I grew up in Elkton, Michigan, a city of less than 900 people,” shares Dr. Eric Eby of Eby Dental Care. “I attended a high school that was Class C, Division 7 with 100 people in my class. I loved it.” He earned an athletic and eventually an academic scholarship to Saginaw Valley State University, originally planning on being a school teacher. He gave up his scholarship to research at DOW Chemical in a co-op position. He researched functional polymers and applied organics, working there 4-6 hours a day when not in class. His heart led him into a different direction than teaching – the world of science. Dr. Eby got a biology and chemical degree and considered his options of medicine and dentistry. He didn’t want to work 12-15 hours a day and liked the freedom and flexibility of dentistry. He shadowed a dentist, liked the career, and made his choice. He went to the University of Michigan, one of the top dental schools in the country. After earning his Doctorate of Dental Surgery, he completed an ADA accredited General Practice Residency at the Detroit Veterans Administration Medical Center in Detroit, MI. After graduation, he got married and he and his wife had two children. Dr. Eby looked all over the state to start
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his practice, deciding upon Okemos in 2003. In 2011, he bought a new building, renovated that, and moved into it. The rest is history. He has been here for 15 years now and had another child here. “My focus is on general practice,” says Dr. Eby. He has a family practice and sees everyone from kids to the elderly, focusing on total health. He refers all endodontic cases to Dr. Kevin Mullin in East Lansing. Progressive Periodontal cases go to Hagan-Rodriguez.
Dr. Eby can’t emphasize enough how important oral health is for the rest of the body. “Systemic diseases result from poor oral hygiene, which affects cardiovascular health and influences blood sugar,” explains Dr. Eby. “The focus of my practice is to educate people.” He helps his patients with sleep apnea, which can be helped with CPAP (the gold standard according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine) or a dental appliance, the second line of therapy. Dr. Eby says, “I educate patients to help make them good decisions.” He used to suffer from sleep apnea to the extent that he stopped breathing 10 seconds for 49 times an hour. Through losing weight and wearing an appliance, he is down to 8 times an hour. Sleep apnea can take a toll on someone’s health. He finds his work rewarding. “It’s cool to be able to help people. They come to the office and say I feel so much better,” says Dr. Eby. Others suffer from night grinding, suffering from headaches in the morning. Fortunately, this can be fixed with a night guard or night splint. Even kids can benefit from treating sleep apnea. After all, maximum oxygen (as well as nutrition) is needed for the growth of their brain. Dr. Eby is happy to talk to concerned parents about it. He says, “I look at myself as a health care provider, not just as a dentist.” If he can get 10% of patients to enroll in a sleep study, he’s happy.
Dr. Eby also recognizes the problem that sugar can cause for teeth as well as for overall health. Considering that sugar decays teeth, one wonders what it is doing to a person’s body. His favorite book is Case Against Sugar. The medical facts about sugar, an addictive substance, is fascinating. Dr. Eby notes how sugar is like drugs and alcohol, releasing dopamine in the brain. Eating sugar simply leads to eating more sugar. Sugar raises insulin, creating more fat storage in the body. Avoid sugar for optimum health. Dr. Eby prides himself on his continuing education. In 2017, he was awarded his “Mastership” from the Academy of General Dentistry, which took 20 years to obtain. This took more than 1700 hours of post doctorate education. Only 3000 dentists have obtained this certification since 1964. Less than 5% of dentists receive this distinction. Dr. Eby is also a FAGD – Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry, which required 1100 continuing education hours and an 8-hour test. Dr. Eby is proud of his team. They are “all great” and keep patients comfortable and keep the office looking top-notch. This experienced dentist also likes making a difference for others. He went to the Dominican Republic and did an implant course along with missionary work. It was hands-on educational trip with mentors. Patients in the Dominican Republic lined up for free dental work. It was an unforgettable experience. When Dr. Eby isn’t working, he likes spending time with his family. He and his wife have been married for 20 years. They are blessed with three kids: Alexa (17), Katerina (15) and Adrian (12). We are honored to feature Dr. Eby of Eby Dental Care in this month’s issue. For more information, check out his website, www.dreby.com. Eby Dental Care 2280 Sower Blvd. Okemos, MI 48864 (517) 349-9860
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