Feedback On My Mentoring Program

My Spring 2015 Introductory Mentoring Program is in full swing at the moment – we’re working through the first four week module, and the hygienists seem to be loving our twice-weekly calls.

The graduates from the Fall 2014 program (which finished in January 2015) are already seeing patients as myofunctional therapists. They’ve expanded their career choices and learned new ways to help people – I’m very proud of them.

I was thrilled to get some great feedback from Roxy, one of the Fall 2014 alumni. She had the following to say:

"Sarah's course is amazing in the understanding portion. I feel confident talking to patients and even felt confident in the meeting with the orthodontist. She is always available to answer questions about specific issues or how to treat a particular case. I am just starting to see patients and I have some insecurity just from lack of experience, but I know if I hit a snag Sarah will be a call or email away and that makes me feel secure.

Her course also covers the business end of things and that's really helpful.

I feel really excited and as prepared as possible without having any previous experience. Her course definitely covers everything and we went over things multiple times so I've retained most of it. I have copies of all the PowerPoint's to refer to in case I don't recall something. This course is well worth the financial and time investment."

If you’d like to find out more about my mentoring programs, or to chat about the Summer 2015 program that’ll kick off on the 22nd of June, please feel free to drop me a note or to give me a call – you can find all my contact information right here.

Snoring In Children Is Making The Mainstream News

Mainstream medicine and dentistry have not always made the link between snoring in children and the harm it can cause, which means that many parents and practitioners have never made the connection either.

As a myofunctional therapist, snoring is one of the first things I screen for in all of my patients - both kids and adults. My job is to look at the airway and find out why my patients breathe through their mouth, or have a tongue thrust or tongue-tie, and to investigate other underlying health issues related to breathing. Snoring in particular, can be an indicator of deeper, more involved airway problems, and the symptoms of airway problems are exactly what I treat.

Research shows that snoring and sleep apnea in children can lead to impaired concentration, poor memory, and difficulty focusing and learning at school. So sleep problems in children are very serious.

As a practicing myofunctional therapist and trainer, I was thrilled to see this subject covered in a current affairs segment on Australia’s high-profile 7 News Network. The program on sleep apnea in young children was called Sleepless Nights. It’s thought provoking stuff for any parent, and for us as hygienists, or for those of you with an interest in myofunctional therapy. 

To watch the video, click the image below.

The lead-in to the segment on the broadcaster’s website has this to say on the topic:

“If your child snores, no matter how quietly, you may have a big problem on your hands. What most parents don’t know is that while they are sleeping, their snoring children could be suffering long-term damage.

More than half of Australian children suffer from a sleeping disorder, and the effects can last a lifetime. Experts know that a lack of sleep leads to reduced IQ, developmental issues and can even stunt a child’s growth.”

I’m happy to see other countries recognizing this problem because it definitely happens in the USA too. I see signs and symptoms related to sleep apnea in my practice all the time, and unfortunately I’m often the first healthcare provider to notice them.

If parents aren't aware of obvious loud snoring, another key thing us hygienists can tell them to watch for in their children is an open mouth. An open mouth during the day can be one of the first signs of trouble with sleep and breathing at night. It’s for this reason that I always recommend that parents and healthcare providers treat an open mouth as soon as they see the signs of it in children. Myofunctional therapy is one of the best ways to address airway issues such as snoring and other related symptoms, and this is covered in detail in my Introductory Mentoring Program.