Dr. Steven Novak, DDS, MS

Dr. Steven Novak is an orofacial pain specialist, a dentist trained to diagnose and treat pain in the jaw joints, the chewing muscles and the face. He earned his DDS at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry and completed a residency and Master of Science in orofacial pain at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC. He joined Molly in 2006 and sees patients at Newport Beach, Beverly Hills and La Jolla.

Most of his patients have jaw pain, clicking, headaches or limited opening, and most improve without surgery. He starts with a careful exam and history, then builds a conservative plan that may include a custom oral appliance, physical therapy, medication, stress and sleep habits, and Botox for overactive jaw muscles when it is appropriate. He also evaluates patients with obstructive sleep apnea and snoring, fits oral appliances for those who cannot tolerate CPAP, and refers to Molly’s surgeons when jaw advancement surgery is worth considering.

Dr. Novak is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orofacial Pain. He wrote Molly’s guide on when TMJ pain needs a specialist. Patients say he is the first clinician who listened to the whole story, and that he was honest that improvement often takes weeks to months rather than days.