In this episode, Jason Tierney and Dr. Erin Elliott talk with Dr. Johnny Ukich about the slow shift from focusing mainly on cavities and traditional pediatric care to recognizing the early signs of sleep-disordered breathing in kids. What does it take for a busy pediatric dentist to start seeing airway differently? For Dr. Ukich, that shift didn’t come from one lecture or a EUREKA! moment. It came through years of conversations, his father’s background in early orthodontic thinking, and eventually what he began noticing in his own child. Once the pieces connected, he started seeing open-mouth breathing, snoring, bedwetting, poor sleep quality, and arch development in a completely different light. This is a grounded conversation for dentists who may not feel ready to treat every airway case, but do need to know what to look for. Dr. Ukich makes the case that awareness alone can change lives, especially when it leads to earlier questions, better screening, and stronger collaboration. What’s on the Menu: A Real Conversion Story: Dr. Ukich shares how airway was not part of his early training and how it took years in practice before the dots finally connected.Why Personal Experience Changed Everything: Like many clinicians, the turning point came when he began seeing these patterns in his own child and could no longer dismiss them as isolated issues.What Early Treatment Started to Reveal: Once he began expanding earlier, he saw changes parents could notice quickly, including better nasal breathing, less bedwetting, and improved sleep.Screen Even If You Don’t Treat: One of the clearest takeaways is that pediatric dentists do not need every tool or every service in-house, but they do need to recognize the signs and start the conversation.How He Talks to Parents Without Sounding “Salesy”: Dr. Ukich focuses on sleep quality, growth, and what parents are actually seeing at home rather than jumping straight into treatment.Why This Has to Be a Team Approach: The episode highlights the need for collaboration with orthodontists, ENTs, lactation consultants, myofunctional therapists, and other providers.The Value Add: It Makes Pediatric Airway Feel Practical: This episode shows what early airway awareness can look like in a real pediatric office, not just in theory.It Reminds Providers They Can Start Smaller: Dr. Ukich makes it clear that simply asking better questions and knowing when to refer can make a real difference.Clinical Concepts & Terminology Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ): A screening tool Dr. Ukich uses to identify symptoms that may point to sleep-disordered breathing.Early Expansion: Discussed as a way to support arch development, nasal breathing, and better sleep patterns when started young enough.Myobrace: A removable appliance mentioned as part of habit correction and functional development, especially around breathing and oral posture.Myofunctional Therapy: Referenced as part of follow-up care to help children use their lips, tongue, and oral muscles more effectively after expansion.Acoustic Rhinometry: A tool Dr. Ukich uses to help measure nasal capacity and airway function.Tongue-Tie Release: Discussed in the context of infant feeding, latch, and early oral development.Professional Organizations & Collaboration AAPD Guidelines: Dr. Ukich and Dr. Elliott discuss the importance of pediatric dentistry guidelines now addressing airway screening and treatment more directly.Collaborative Pediatric Airway Care: The conversation emphasizes working with orthodontists, ENTs, lactation consultants, craniofacial chiropractors, and myofunctional therapists rather than trying to solve everything alone.Featured Experts to Follow Dr. Johnny Ukich: A pediatric dentist sharing a practical perspective on how airway awareness changed the way he screens and treats children.Dr. Erin Elliott: Co-host of the episode and one of the early voices who helped push this conversation forward in her community.Dr. Boyd Simpkins: Mentioned in the episode as another pediatric dentist involved in this space.Recommended Tools & Reading Gasp: The book Dr. Ukich credits as the moment everything clicked for him.Breath by James Nestor: A recommended read for clinicians who want a more accessible entry point into breathing and airway concepts.Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ): A practical screening resource for identifying airway-related symptoms in children.Myobrace: Mentioned as a tool for encouraging better breathing habits and oral function.CO2 Laser: Discussed as a valuable tool for infant tongue-tie releases because of comfort, speed, and healing.
