Meet Dr. Sue Shoha: A Mom Redefining Dental Care at Bio Dentistry Michigan
Behind every great business is an inspiring story, and Bio Dentistry Michigan is no exception. Meet Dr. Sue Shoha, a dedicated mom and accomplished dentist who has combined her passion for holistic dental care with the joy of working alongside her daughter. Together, they’ve built a practice that not only prioritizes patient health but also celebrates the power of family and connection. Let’s dive into their journey!
How many children do you have and their ages?
3 kids; Pria 30, Sophia, 27 and Dominick 24.
Can you share the story behind how Bio Dentistry Michigan?
I have always lived a more holistic, natural minded lifestyle and wanted to align my professional life to my home and family life mindset. This was how BioDentistryMi first started. Conventional dentistry is very toxic with materials like mercury amalgams, composite fillings with BPA, fluoride etc. Even the cleaning solutions have things like glutaraldehyde all of which are very damaging to our system. I didn’t want that for me and certainly not for my patients. I wanted to create a space where patients could come to and feel safe, not judged and would be partners in creating the health they desired.
What inspired you to specialize in bio-dentistry and focus on tongue ties and airway health?
I built the practice ground up focusing on safe removal of mercury and other metals but I discovered that many people, despite good oral hygiene and diet, had a lot of issues like decay and gum disease. It was around that time that I met my mentor, Dr Zaghi of the Breathe Institute and started learning all I could about tongue ties, airway health and how it translated to my community. I will share my personal experience when we meet in person.
As a mom and business owner, how do you manage the demands of work and family life?
It’s not easy and for the faint of heart. I sold my first practice after having my 3rd child and worked part time so I could be a hands on mom. It was a tough decision, but one that I would make again. Being a parent is one of the hardest things we can do and I made the choice to focus on that and return to being a business owner later in life when they were a little older.
You work with your daughter…What’s it like working with your daughter every day? Have you learned anything new about each other since working together?
I absolutely love working with my daughter and she shares the sentiment (at least that’s what she says). I realize that not all parents and children can do that, but it is working out great. Patients are always commenting on how similar we are and that is making an easy transition for them to have confidence and trust in her.
What do you hope parents in Michigan take away from the resources and care your center provides?
One of the keys to healing is calming the nervous system. Only when a person feels safe and trusts the provider, the environment and process can the body heal, whether its from past trauma, physical issues and also help create new habits or new neural pathways. I feel like I bring a lot of “momness” to my practice and patients pick up on the fact that someone cares, or gets it or is on their side. I am always doing continuing ed courses for my own growth and to be able to provide cutting edge thinking and procedures to my patients.
What is something you’re looking forward to in 2025?
I am looking forward to focusing on helping the community sleep and breathe better with sleep appliances, early intervention for kids so they can maximize their potential. An inability to breathe well especially at night causes kids to perform poorly at school, have anxiety and depression and be labelled adhd. Not to mention having lots of cavities from mouth breathing. If we can provide education and interventions, we can help change the trajectory of the kids.
