Meet Our Founder

Richard Downs, D.D.S., F.A.G.D., F.I.C.O.I., D-GMDIA, D-ASBA

Dr. Downs maintains a private practice of general dentistry, with special interests in implantology, dental sleep medicine, cosmetic dentistry, neuromuscular dentistry, periodontology, orthodontics, endodontics.  He is also studying the link between volatile organic compounds and viral contributions to periodontitis with particular focus on cytokine immune response and its suppression by ozone and chlorine dioxide for his oral care products company Named Oracare Products at www.oracareproducts.com.

He attended College from 1967 to 1969 on a scholarship in chemistry. He received his Associate of Science (A.S.) degree in 1969.  He graduated from the University of Iowa earning a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in 1971.  Dr. Downs attended the University Of Iowa College Of Dentistry with an HR2 military scholarship, and in 1975, attained a Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree.  

Dr. Downs is a member of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy, and is Certified in Nightlase Non-Surgical Gentle Laser Lift Airway Therapy. He is Vice President of the Global Mini Dental Implant Association. He was the North American Representative of the European Company, Side Sleep Solutions.

He is also a member of the American Dental Association, the Iowa Dental Association, the Dubuque District Dental Society, the Dubuque County Dental Society, past member of the American Straight wire Orthodontic Association, past member of the Misch Implant Institute, and  American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, past member of the American Academy of Implantology, the American Society of Osseo integration, the International Association of Breath Odor Research, present member of the Academy of General Dentistry,  present member of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, and the Fortune Practice Management - Platinum Circle division.  Dr. Downs has been a consultant and coach for Fortune Practice Management and has taught seminars in practice management and marketing.  He helped develop systems for organizing treatment plans and breakthrough technology in teams for Quest Seminars International which was later used by Fortune Practice Management.  Dr. Downs was the editor of the Iowa Academy of General Dentistry newsletter for four years and is past President of the Iowa Academy of General Dentistry.    

After graduating from dental school, Dr. Downs spent three years as a Navy dental officer at the Great Lakes Naval Base. He has attained a Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry, Fellowship in the Misch International Implant Institute, and Fellowship in the International Congress of Oral Implantologists.  He has attained dipolmate status in the Global Mini Dental Implant Association and a Diplomate credential in the American Sleep and Breathing Academy. He has lectured on several topics including dental implant history and it’s evolving methods, products and protocols, cytokine immune response and wound healing, the mechanisms of the nitric oxide enterosalivary system, diagnosis and treatment of halitosis and periodontal diseases, and bacterial and viral cytokine inflammatory modulation pathways in periodontitis. He is presently developing nasal and oral health producs in partnership with Novaflux Science in Princeton, New Jersey and Oracare products company in West Virginia.

Dr. Downs established the American Breath Specialists web site for those seeking help with breath disorders and co-founded the Probreath MD, LLC dental products company, Oracare Products, and web site at www.oracareproducts.com.   This most recent Oracare Products web site is a dental products company formed primarily around the technology of delivering optimal chlorine dioxide therapy in fresh unit doses since chlorine dioxide has a very short duration of action and must be produced fresh each time it is to be used.  Its' first product is the mouth rinse "Oracare".  New products have been produced, including a post op gel and special rinse for implant dentistry and a branch of ozone products. He is a stock holder, board member and consultant for the medical and dental water purification company, Toppen Medical Dental, LLC.

Dr. Downs has also formed a company for sleep dentistry social media marketing, under the umbrella and doing business as Designs4dental, spawning the website for nasal products at www.usa-guard.com and another related site for dentists working with chiropractors called the Dental-Chiropractic Collaborative at www.dentalchirocollabortive.com. Some websites are being brought together into a comprehensive professional training CE qualified education center called Sleep Balance Academy at www.sleepbalanceacademy.com which is forming a new alliance of chiropractors, functional sleep medicine practitioners and other allied healthcare professionals and dentists for the diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.

Dr Downs’ most recent projects include spearheading the building a charitable dental implant teaching and treatment clinic in Haiti called the Haiti International Dental Institute and an online sleep apnea testing website and store at www.onlinehomesleepstudy.com.