Hello friends!

I’m writing in a great mood today because yesterday, I had the chance to grab brunch here in Portugal with my former boss and mentor from Chicago, Dr. Bernice Teplitsky. It was such a joy to reconnect with someone who played a huge role in shaping my career and shifting my perspective toward a more holistic approach to health and wellness. I hope you enjoy this month's newsletter!

Attention!

Now that I have your attention... see what I did there? Attention struggles impact everything from learning to daily routines, but have you ever considered how sleep plays a role? When kids aren’t sleeping well, their brains stay in survival mode, making it harder to focus, regulate emotions, and absorb new information. Since sleep and attention are deeply connected, this is an important reminder—if your child has been flagged for attention issues, a sleep screening (and even an airway health check) could reveal an overlooked root cause.

In my work, helping children grow better—leading to improved breathing and deeper sleep—often brings noticeable improvements in attention and hyperactivity symptoms. But I also love sharing non-dental strategies that support families in a well-rounded way. Harkla is a company that has been a great resource for me, and I’ve been enjoying their YouTube channel. Some of their game ideas that support better development are just really fun. This video from Harkla breaks down typical attention span expectations by age and offers six simple strategies to improve attention at home.

Mouth Breathing Microlesson

In just three minutes, this video illustrates how mouth breathing sets off a chain reaction— influencing the growth of tonsils and adenoids, shifting tongue position, and altering jaw growth, all of which impact tooth alignment. While the audio is a bit dry, the visuals make it easy to see why nasal breathing is so crucial for proper development. It's a quick but informative watch!

Connections: support for adults too!

Taking a holistic approach to health means working with professionals from a variety of backgrounds, each bringing a different piece of the puzzle. One of the ways I stay connected to this broader perspective is through memberships in various professional organizations. Lately, one of my favorites has been Unconventional Collaborative—a group where we learn from guest speakers, share insights, and even support each other on tricky cases. For example, while airway dentistry can often help with bedwetting, members of this group clued me into the role of pediatric pelvic floor therapy in these cases. I hadn’t realized there was an entire pediatric specialization within this field. We're always learning!

After seeing changes in their children, many parents begin to look for resources for themselves too- and I love having a wider range of trusted professionals to guide them to. Here are a few examples of other members who are more directly involved in my areas of sleep and dentistry.

• If you find yourself wide awake at 3 AM (even when the kids are sound asleep), my friend and holistic sleep coach for women, Morgan Adams, has created a free guide to help you get back to restful nights and more energized days.​
• If you suspect you might have an airway issue yourself, my friend and airway-focused dentist, Kristen Geist, has a bustling Instagram page dedicated to raising awareness about Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS) and how it affected her. Now, she helps adults navigate sleep testing and better understand their own airway health.

While there are many incredible providers in the group, I’ve especially appreciated learning from those outside my immediate field—offering insights on hormone health, nutrition, mental health, and more. If working with me for your child’s airway health has made you realize that you, too, may be struggling, just reply back and let me know. I’d be happy to connect you with additional resources to support your own health journey.

"I'll wait until they're older..."

If you've been saying this as a reason to put off dental treatment for your little ones, then don't miss my Instagram reel where I address why age is not the barrier you may believe it to be when it comes to starting these types of airway dental treatments.

Ask Me Anything...

Choosing the right dental treatment can feel overwhelming, so I’m creating a new resource to simplify the options and answer common questions. Whatever questions you've had brewing about expanders, Toothpillow, braces, or other dental solutions, just reply to this email with anything that's been on your mind. I want to make sure that when this guide is ready, I'll be giving you all the answers you need.