Broken Adults Start as Sick Kids: Airway, TMD & the Whole Patient (w/Dr. Hal Stewart) [Ep.148]
The DOC PodcastShow Notes
Episode Summary: In this episode of The DOC Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Hal Stewart, a Texas-based dentist who transformed his practice from a traditional, restorative-based practice to one with a holistic approach, focusing on airway and TMD health. We discuss what holistic dentistry really means, how airway dysfunction connects to malocclusion, TMD, posture, and systemic health, and why the dental profession needs a paradigm shift towards a more proactive model of healthcare. Topics Covered: Dr. Stewart's Journey from Restorative Dentistry to Airway-Focused Practice — How a meticulous, low-volume approach to comprehensive dentistry evolved after discovering the connection between underdeveloped jaws, malocclusion, TMD, and airway dysfunction — driven in part by the personal loss of his father to Parkinson's linked to severe sleep apnea. The Multidisciplinary Team Approach & Diagnostic Framework — Why airway patients typically need 3-7 healthcare professionals, and Dr. Stewart's 5-zone diagnostic model (nasal passages, nasopharynx, oropharynx, oral cavity, and TMJ) for evaluating patients from a whole-body perspective while staying in his lane. The "Straight Teeth Bias" & Why the Profession Needs a Paradigm Shift — How orthodontic and dental training focuses narrowly on tooth-based outcomes, the gap between the ADA's 2017 airway screening recommendation and the AAO's more conservative stance, and the double standard around evidence-based practice. TMD, Airway & Posture: How It's All Connected — Dr. Stewart's clinical finding that over 90% of TMD patients have a comorbid airway component, how addressing airway has transformed his treatment outcomes, and the overlooked relationship between occlusion, cervical posture, and breathing. Advice for Practitioners & A Call for Professional Unity — Practical guidance for dentists wanting to incorporate airway into their practice, why every practitioner who discovers airway never goes back, and the importance of replacing intraprofessional criticism with respectful, interdisciplinary collaboration. Key Quotes: "There are multiple ways to treat things, but there's only one correct diagnosis." "Anybody that goes down this path, they see the truth is so evident to them that they cannot go back." "We're not here to put other professionals down. We're just here to speak the truth." Resources: OT Article on Evidence Based Orthodontics: https://www.orthotown.com/magazine/article/9835/defining-evidence-based-orthodontics?fbclid=IwY2xjawP14fxleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFrVWE3M3EwYWJTRWpEdENTc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhwMNgFJyCJB6JMvVDSomu6drLwAym2SI7CDx-eXbuwrUwBxzP6NpyP7HpT8_aem_NmfJlB15aUQgioH6xWUu3A Link to Dr. Mike on Health & Harmony, Beyond the Teeth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce9TrzrgkKg&list=PLPOppJciyu_pws_EOiyejTsxkOwSxtZzj Thestewartcenterforoptimalhealth.com Join The DOC Community on Facebook for more great content and discussions: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Cb9rkQVde/ Check out the DOC CE Courses:https://theorthocoach.com/ce-courses/
More from The DOC Podcast
Episode Summary In this episode, I sit down with Dr. German Ramirez for an in-depth conversation about early orthodontic treatment, craniofacial growth and development, bone biology, and the critical role of nasal breathing in facial development. Dr. Ramirez shares his remarkable training journey from Colombia to Australia to Tufts University, his pioneering research on the mandibular condylar cartilage, and his passionate case for treating children early rather than waiting until age seven. We dig into the six dimensions of diagnosis, the connection between bruxism and airway, why AHI is a flawed metric for pediatric sleep-disordered breathing, and how collaborating with ENTs and sleep physicians can transform patient outcomes. This is a must-listen for any orthodontist or dentist who wants to understand the biology behind proactive, functional orthodontic care. Timestamps 0:00 — Introduction & Guest Background Introducing Dr. Ramirez and his credentials. 2:07 — Dr. Ramirez's Training Journey From Colombia to Brazil to early ortho training. 6:25 — Mandibular Condylar Cartilage & Bone Biology Growth potential persists into the 90s. 8:41 — Why Early Treatment Matters Mandible grows more in first five years. 10:55 — Sleep, Breathing & the Orthodontist's Role We normalize anatomy, not treat airway. 15:06 — Responding to "No Need to Treat Before 7" Six-dimension diagnosis vs. isolated single-problem studies. 21:05 — Functional Evaluation: Mouth Breathing & Nasal Breathing Identifying mouth breathers and cellular hypoxia effects. 26:47 — The Tongue as Palatal Expander Nasal breathing first, then tongue positioning. 29:57 — Collaborating with Medical Colleagues CBCT, ENTs, and a cleft palate story. 37:27 — Tonsils, Adenoids & Post-Surgery Relapse Why habits persist and relapse rates soar. 41:38 — AHI Limitations & Study Design Problems AHI is a flawed pediatric sleep metric. 47:47 — Bruxism & Airway Connection Tongue protrusion causes grinding — here's how. 51:47 — Resistance to Change in Orthodontics Technology-driven vs. biologically-driven education disconnect. 56:17 — Genetics vs. Environment in Craniofacial Growth Epigenetics and the genetic window concept. 64:56 — Muscle, Bone & Diet Muscle stimulation drives bone growth over time. 72:02 — Communicating with Child Patients "Nose for breathing, mouth for eating." 81:28 — Closing & Contact Info Books, courses, and upcoming lectures worldwide. LINKS: Airway videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h0JgmmLj_Q&ab_channel=TMJ%26SleepTherapyCentre Dr. Ramirez’ website: https://www.kidsmalocclusions.com/ Pediatric Airway-focused Myofunctional Orthodontics: https://a.co/d/b1wQhD9 Dr. DeLuke’s Early Treatment Course: https://theorthocoach.com/courses/phase-i-arch-development/?portfolioCats=99
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Julia Sadove-Lopez - a dentist, parent advocate, and founder of Oris Wellness - to explore a side of pediatric airway health we haven't covered enough on this show: what it's actually like for the parents trying to navigate it.
In this powerful episode, I sit down with Melissa Methven - a former flight attendant turned dental hygienist, widow, author, and breathwork facilitator - to discuss the hidden mental health crisis in dentistry. Melissa shares the story of her husband Scott, a beloved dentist in Wasilla, Alaska, who died by suicide in March 2022 after years of suppressing the pressures of the profession: student debt, perfectionism, emotional labor with patients, chronic pain, and escalating substance use. Melissa opens up about her own suppression and the physical toll it took on her body, the signs she wishes she'd seen sooner, and how she found healing through community, faith, and breathwork. She also reads from her book The Truth Behind the Smiles and offers actionable solutions for dental schools, including mental health education, peer communities, and a dental-specific crisis hotline. This is a raw, important conversation about breaking the silence around depression and suicide in the dental profession, and the hope that comes from living your truth. Timestamps: 0:00 — Introduction & Content Warning 2:41 — Welcoming Melissa & Scott's Story 3:50 — The Pressures of Dentistry & Early Signs 9:33 — Hiding Behind the Smile & Physical Symptoms 13:28 — The Common Dental Struggle 16:19 — Why We Suppress — Roots & The Perfect Illusion 19:51 — Scott's Fear & Writing the Book 25:30 — Feeling Stuck, Faith & Moving Forward 34:50 — Faith vs. Religion & Signs from Beyond 42:41 — Dental Statistics & Solutions for the Profession 47:15 — Tools for Healing & Helping the Kids 57:59 — Being of Service, Fulfillment & Closing 73:06 — Outro LINKS To Purchase Melissa’s Book: https://a.co/d/8nYzyTO Melissa on FB: https://www.facebook.com/tremblaymel/ Melissa on IG: https://www.instagram.com/melissamethven/ Join The DOC Community on Facebook for more great content and discussions: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Cb9rkQVde/ Check out the DOC CE Courses: https://theorthocoach.com/ce-courses/ Website: theorthocoach.com YouTube: @theorthocoach Instagram: @theorthocoach
I'm excited to welcome Nicole Vento back to The DOC Podcast for the fourth installment of our five-part series with the Vento family on creating generational wealth. Nicole is a financial advisor, CPA, and CFP who leads the investment committee at her family's firm, and she brings a rare dual perspective with her CPA background combined with institutional trading experience at Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan Private Bank. In this episode, we dig deep into the investment and tax-efficiency side of wealth planning, breaking down retirement accounts, ETFs vs. mutual funds, estate planning, 529 plans, the student loan crisis, Trump accounts, charitable giving strategies, and the discipline and mindset it takes to achieve financial freedom. Whether you're just starting out or you've been building wealth for decades, Nicole delivers practical insights you can apply to your own financial journey. Be sure to pick up a copy of the Vento family's book, *The Generational Wealth Code*, linked in the show notes below. **Chapters & Timestamps:** - 0:30 — Episode Intro - 3:06 — Welcome Back, Nicole - 11:09 — Why You Need a Fiduciary - 16:50 — Understanding Retirement Accounts - 47:02 — ETFs vs. Mutual Funds: Tax Treatment - 54:46 — Estate Planning & Step-Up in Basis - 1:03:35 — Education Planning & 529 Plans - 1:10:05 — The Student Loan Crisis - 1:22:44 — Trump Accounts: A New Savings Vehicle - 1:27:36 — Charitable Giving Strategies - 1:33:11 — Discipline, Delayed Gratification & the Margin Mentality - 1:37:39 — Closing & Contact Info - 1:38:54 — Disclosure **Links & Resources:** The Generational Wealth Code: https://a.co/d/0iHwEITG Join The DOC Community on Facebook for more great content and discussions: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Cb9rkQVde/ Check out the DOC CE Courses: https://theorthocoach.com/ce-courses/ Connect w/Dr. Mike: Website: theorthocoach.com YouTube: @theorthocoach Instagram: @theorthocoach Connect w/Nicole: Web: Ventotaxandwealth.com Email: [email protected] Office: 718-980-9000
Dr. Bret Christensen is an Army veteran, orthodontist, and one of only five orthodontists in the country board-certified in sleep medicine through the American Sleep & Breathing Academy. He owns and operates Christensen Orthodontics with locations in Lewiston, Grangeville, and Moscow, Idaho. In this emotional and wide-ranging episode, Bret opens up about losing his son, surviving a widow-maker heart attack at 45, undergoing open-heart surgery and getting a pacemaker, all while transforming his practice from traditional extraction-based orthodontics to a data-driven, airway-focused approach. He shares thousands of patient records showing that skeletal expansion dramatically improves nasal airway volume, his discovery that toddlers as young as two-and-a-half can be treated, and why he believes the AAO is standing in the way of progress. Plus, a surprise visit from his granddaughter Everly - the child who changed everything. ⏱️ Timestamps / Chapters