Kimmie has been in dentistry for over 23 years and has continued to expand her education and clinical skills throughout her career. Since 2001, she has focused on advancing education in airway health and its connection to overall well-being. She pursued specialized training in myofunctional therapy, which became the foundation of her practice that begin in 2017. Since then, she has continued studying and developing techniques to advance the field, including hundreds of hours of continued education focused on airway health, and proper development and function of the mouth, head and neck.
Kimmie leads a dedicated team that has helped over 1,000 patients and actively contributes to the field through education, mentorship, a collaboration. She regularly visits local dental and medical offices to provide educational presentations and coaching, helping teams implement the latest techniques and protocols in airway screenings and treatment. As a board member of the international study club for healthcare professionals, Airway Circle, and the recipient of the 2023 Ethel Covington Award from the Colorado Dental Hygienists’ Association, Kimmie is recognized for her leadership, dedication to airway-focused care, and passion for patient advocacy. Inspired by her own journey, she finds fulfillment in mentoring and empowering others to make a meaningful impact as she strives to be an industry leader.
Kimmie Herrera, BSDH, RDH, Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist
Owner of Smile and Airway Health
Amanda hails from the windy plains of Wyoming and was immediately drawn to Colorado's beautiful mountains, sunny days, active lifestyle, and vibrant music scene from her first visit. She and her husband, Adam, moved to the Denver area right after college and have never looked back. They have two wonderful daughters, both Colorado natives, who are as different from each other as two children can be. Amanda is an avid reader across all genres and loves spending time with her family and their rescue pup, Mabel.
With nearly 20 years of experience as a practicing Registered Dental Hygienist, Amanda is deeply passionate about her work. Her interest in Myofunctional Therapy began when she was searching for solutions to her daughters' health concerns. Inspired by the positive impact it had on her own family, Amanda decided to share this help with others and is an incredible asset to Smile and Airway Health.
Amanda Badertscher, BSDH, RDH, Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist
Born and raised in Colorado, Hannah grew up in the North Metro area. She enjoys raising her three children with her husband. In her downtime, you can find her in the kitchen—preparing family meals, baking, or continuing the family tradition of preserving and canning food from her garden. During the summer months, she spends time camping and exploring new parts of Colorado in their pop-up camper.
Hannah has been a Registered Dental Hygienist since 2005 and has proudly served at her dental office since 2007. She loves building connections and relationships with her patients. Her desire for continuous learning has enabled her to balance her roles as both a dental hygienist and a myofunctional therapist. Her son's medical and dental journey led her to explore myofunctional therapy as a means to address the root cause of his symptoms. Witnessing her son's life transformed by the impact of myofunctional therapy and the support of his provider has made her a firm believer in addressing oral dysfunction, supporting families, and alleviating symptoms through collaborative care. Hannah has also experienced the profound benefits of myofunctional therapy on her own health and oral function. Her goal is to treat each patient with compassion and empathy, providing the same level of care she would offer to her own friends and family.
Hannah Roberts, BSDH, RDH,
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist
Candice has been working in dentistry since 2007. She spent nine years working clinically as a Registered Dental Hygienist at a general family practice and loved building relationships with her patients. From 2020 to 2022 she worked for HealthyStart, where she helped dentists provide appliances to their patients that aid in addressing Sleep Disordered Breathing. This experience gave her a solid foundation of understanding the benefits of proper oral growth and development.
As she learned more, she began to make the connection between how her own oral dysfunction and restricted oral tissues were correlated to her chronic health issues. With this knowledge, she was able to advocate for her daughter, who was tongue tied, as she could see the negative effects of it as soon as she was born. With these experiences, she became passionate about educating others about orofacial dysfunctions and the importance of treatment with Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy. She is honored to be a part of Smile and Airway Health to help patients achieve optimal wellbeing!
And, fun fact, she and Kimmie attended Dental Hygiene school together! They have been friends for many years and have so much respect for each other both professionally and personally. Candice currently is not seeing myofunctional therapy patients as she is growing a busy little family. She serves our patients behind the scenes as their care coordinator, ensuring that the correspondence between members on the care team are collaborating on the patients' behalf!
Candice Bronzini, BSDH, RDH, Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist & Patient Care Coordinator
Kim began her medical career as a veterinary technician, completing her vet tech studies at Parkland College in Champaign, IL, in 2001. She then completed an internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York, NY, followed by a career in intensive care and cardiology at Purdue University. Through her experience in veterinary technology, she discovered an interest in periodontal disease that ultimately led her to pursue a career as a dental hygienist.
She graduated from Prairie State College with highest honors in 2006 and has worked as a dental hygienist ever since. Although she loves dental hygiene and working with patients, she felt she had more to offer. She was dissatisfied with providing patients cookie-cutter explanations for why they grind their teeth, why their orthodontic treatment relapsed, or why their home care seemed ineffective. Tired of merely applying a "band-aid" to the problem, she completed advanced studies in myofunctional therapy. Now, she is grateful to be able to offer comprehensive answers to these questions and more. She no longer feels constrained; she can guide patients toward the help they need and provide therapy that can be life-changing.
Kim joined the team at Smile and Airway Health in early 2024 as a critical role in helping patients along their treatment journey. Kim is usually your first contact person at Smile and Airway Health, and she makes everyone feel heard, welcomed and can ensure that you'll be well cared for by anyone on our team!
Kim Balkema, BSDH, RDH, Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist & Scheduling Coordinator
Private Consultations, In-person & Video Teletherapy
Private Consultations, In-person & Video Teletherapy
We offer virtual appointments via video teletherapy as well as private consultations and in-person therapy. At your first appointment, you will receive a Comprehensive Myofunctional Assessment. Conveniently, subsequent appointments can be virtual during treatment. Of course, we like to see you in person at completion of your treatment plan to best document your success! We are happy to offer a combination of both in-person and virtual appointments to help you stay compliant and achieve the desired results. Our offices are located both in Brighton and Broomfield.
We continue to follow more than the recommended protocols for decontamination processes in our offices. Our providers wear masks while working in patients' mouths, as we always have and will continue to do as a standard of care practice.