My guest today is Dr. Claire Stagg. Dr. Stagg's academic journey began at the University of Bordeaux, France, where she earned her Doctorate in Dental Surgery (DDS) in 1982. With a relentless thirst for knowledge, she has amassed over 2,700 hours of additional training, with an emphasis in TMJ / Sleep Disorders, Orthopedics, and Dental Rehabilitation. Her quest for excellence led her to Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, where she attained a Master’s of Science focusing on Craniofacial Pain in 2011.

Renowned for her pioneering work, Dr. Stagg has been a trailblazer since her early days, being the first to pass the Trinidad Dental Board Examinations post-graduation and facilitating significant advancements in dental care delivery in Grenada. Her credentials are further highlighted by her Fellowship in the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain and her innovative contributions to Craniofacial Epigenetics and nonsurgical airway remodeling.

Dr. Stagg's practice is not just about treating teeth but nurturing the person behind the smile. She believes in the intrinsic connection of the mouth to the body's overall health and strives for a balance that enhances vital functions — breathing, swallowing, eating, and smiling. Her integrative approach promotes not just survival but thriving, ensuring a quality of life that resonates with wellness and joy.

With a professional interest that spans Biological, Wholistic, and Cosmetic Dentistry, coupled with a strong emphasis on proper Nutrition, Dr. Stagg is at the forefront of a dental revolution. She is dedicated to providing her patients with healthy, beautiful, and pain-free smiles, demonstrating the deep interrelation between the body and the bite.

You can find out more about Dr. Stagg at HealthConnectionsDentistry.com.

Show Notes:

• Smile: It's All Connected, by Dr. Claire Stagg
• Resources from Dr. Stagg
• Dr. Brendan Stack's Treatment for Complex TMJ Disorders: Watch Video

My guest today is Kelley Rubio, an Arizona native and US Army veteran with a heartfelt commitment to pediatric care since 1996. Her practice has two locations in the Phoenix Valley and she works with patients in person and via Telehealth. As a licensed dental hygienist, she specializes in myofunctional therapy and is a Certified Buteyko Breathing Practitioner.

Kelley stays at the forefront of her field through ongoing training, holding a Qualification in Orofacial Myology. What sets Kelley apart is not just her expertise but also the genuine connections she forms with each patient. Her passion for orofacial myology is driven by the meaningful relationships she builds.

You can find out more about Kelley at mymyomyhealth.com.

Show Notes:

• Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, by Dr. Peter Attia
• Airway MamaBears - CAFF Store
• Buteyko Breathing Techniques
• Oral Health in America - Surgeon General's Report 2021
• Protecting Youth Mental Health - Surgeon General's Statement 2021
• National Alliance of Mental Illness Website: www.nami.org
• Airway Palooza 2024
• SEC Sleep Conference 2024
• Collaboration Cures 2024

My guest today is Dr. Mark Levi. Dr. Levi has over 30 years experience as a Dentist, and over 20 years in Craniofacial Dental Sleep Medicine. He is a member of the Australasian Sleep Association, American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and European Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine.

As a former sufferer of Sleep Apnea, Dr. Levi understands the problem from all perspectives, and has the technical expertise to provide the best customizes and appropriate solution to suit his patient's individual needs. He has trained in the US with many of the world's leading Sleep Experts and can often be seen on national television and lecturing around the world!

You can find out more about Dr. Mark Levi at drlevis.com.au.

Show Notes:

• Dr. Mark Levi website
• Finding Connor Video
• Foundation for Airway Health
• Breathe, Sleep, Thrive: Discover How Airway Health Can Unlock Your Child's Greater Health, Learning, and Potential by Dr. Shereen Lim

Today's episode is a bit different in that I have invited a panel of luminaries and medical professionals who are passionate about airway and sleep health. Each of today's guests participated, in some form or fashion, in the SEC Sleep Conference that was held in Houston, Texas earlier this month.

Our special guest panel includes:

• Dr. Jerald H. Simmons - Founding Director at Comprehensive Sleep Medicine Associations, PA and the Sleep Education Consortium
• Dr. Bill Harrell - President and Orthodontist at Harrell Orthodontics, TMJ, Dental Sleep Medicine
• Dr. David McCarty, FAASM - Author, Speaker, Cartoonist, and Podcast Host of the Empowered Sleep Apnea Series
• Jatin Tekchandani, MSBEME, R.EEG T., RPSGT - Vice President of the Texas Society of Sleep Professionals
• Dr. Rob Veis - CEO at SML Global

Show Notes:

• SEC Sleep Conference
• CSMA
• CSMA Sleep Questionnaire
• Airway Circle
• Airway Health Solutions
• AAPMD
• ADA
• AASM
• Facebook Airway Huddle - Parent Support Group
• Facebook Tooth Pillow Parent Group
• The Breathing-Smile Connection by Dr. William Harrell: Article

My guest today is Dr. Julia Sadove-Lopez. She is a biological dentist, accredited by the IAOMT. She attended dental school in Indiana and went on to practice dentistry at a holistic dental practice in Chicago. She was able to work closely in collaboration with Dr. Kevin Boyd, even serving as a research assistant for his anthropology research with the Penn Museum.

She was practicing general dentistry, but her passion for identifying and referring young patients to seek early interceptive solutions became one of her favorite parts of her profession. She created her own consulting business to offer customized support for parents surrounding airway dentistry.

She relocated with her family to Portugal where she enjoys learning about how the perspectives and services that are offered in Europe vary from the training she received in the US.

Show Notes:

• oriswellness.com
• Breathe, Sleep, Thrive: Discover How Airway Health Can Unlock Your Child's Greater Health, by Dr. Shereen Lim
• Brave Parent: Raising Healthy, Happy Kids Against All Odds, by Dr. Susan Maples
• Sleep Wrecked Kids: Helping Parents Raise Happy, Healthy Kids, by Sharon Moore
• Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, by James Nestor
• Wrigleyville Dental (Chicago, IL)

My guest today is Jackie Christiansen, a Danish mom who moved to the United States in 2018 with her husband.

She and her family now live in Houston, Texas with their four-year-old daugher, Laura, who has been diagnosed with sleep disordered breathing.

In Denmark, Jackie was a registered nurse and Certified Health Coach. She is now a stay-at-home mom who enjoys volunteering at her daughter's school.

Show Notes:

• Dr. Jerald Simmons, CSMA
• ATS Sleep Questionnaire for Children
• Dr. Todd Scheyer
• Dr. Shereen Lim - Airway First Podcast Episode
• Brittny Murphy - Airway First Podcast Episode
• James Nestor, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art - Airway First Podcast Episode
• Dr. David Alfi
• Dr. Christopher Tran

My guest today is Dr. Tracy Tran. Dr. Tran is a Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist who specializes in infant & pediatric oral ties, as well as pediatric sleep issues. She is a Michigan native who first landed in Southern California to attend dental school at USC's Ostrow School of Dentistry.

After graduation, Dr. Tran went on to complete a 1-year general practice residency where she received additional training in all aspects of dentistry, with an emphasis in oral surgery. She performed surgical procedures in maxillofacial trauma under the attending of Oromaxillofacial, ENT and plastic surgeons. During the following two years, Dr. Tran continued her specialty training in pediatric dentistry, while completing her Master’s in Biomedical Science.‍

Since being in private practice, Dr. Tran has focused her continuing education on pediatric tethered oral tissue (TOTs) and its relationship with oral dysfunction in order to diagnose orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs). This includes difficulties with infant nursing, toddler feeding & swallowing, speech articulation, and pediatric sleep disordered breathing. She has successfully treated these patients through a collaborative team approach, and continues to expand her knowledge and experience in this niche specialty.

She is also proud to contribute to the advancement of academics by volunteering her time teaching at USC as Clinical Assistant Professor in the Division of Dental Public Health & Pediatric Dentistry.

You can find out more about Dr. Tran at drtracytran.com.

Show Notes:

• Academy of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (AOMT)
• Dr. Marielly Mitchell, OTD, OTR/L, SWC, SIPT
• Dr. Tracy Tran: drtracytran.com
• NIH: Surgically Assisted Rapid Maxillary Expansion Compared with Orthopedic Rapid Maxillary Expansion Article

My guest today is the one Sharon Moore is a speech pathologist and myofunctional practitioner with thirty-eight years of clinical experience across a range of communication and swallowing disorders. She has worked in diverse clinical settings in Australia and London.

Currently, Sharon runs a private practice in Canberra for patients of all ages and is part of the transdisciplinary team for the Canberra Sleep Clinic. The integration of orofacial myofunctional principles into traditional speech pathology work allows a unique approach to managing disorders of the upper airway, including breathing, swallowing, chewing, phonation, resonance, speech and sleep issues related to upper airway obstruction.

Sharon has a special interest in early identification of craniofacial growth anomalies in syndromic and non-syndromic children, concomitant orofacial dysfunctions and airway obstruction in sleep disorders.

Sharon believes that there has never been a more important time for medical, dental and allied health colleagues to work as a team, with the significant consequences of sleep disorders in all ages now widely known. Growing global medical acknowledgement of the role of myofunctional therapy in the management of sleep disorders has hailed a new era of relevance for work in the upper airway, affirming Sharon’s chosen clinical direction.

She believes we have a window of opportunity to help parents get it right before kids start school.

You can find out more about Sharon at sleepwreckedkids.com and wellspoken.com.au.

Show Notes:

• AASM Sleep Chart
• Sleep Wrecked Kids: Helping Parents Raise Happy, Healthy Kids, One Sleep at a Time, by Sharon Moore
• Go the F**k to Sleep, by Adam Mansbach
• Sleep Hygiene for Kids