Exceptional Airways
ABOUT ME
FAQs

EMPOWERING

EXCEPTIONAL AIRWAYS

A clinical, individualized approach to breathe better.

METHODS & PHILOSOPHIES

NASAL BREATHING

The nose’s main function is to inhale oxygen that our bodies need to survive. But lack of proper nasal breathing or even sleep disordered breathing leads to incorrect tongue position and function because mouth breathing becomes the primary source of obtaining this necessary oxygen. Mouth breathing can lead to a number of systemic diseases and conditions. Myofunctional therapy’s goal is to re-educate the tongue, lips, and orofacial muscles to facilitate nasal breathing only.

TONGUE POSTURE

Low tongue posture can lead to poor facial growth and jaw development, post- orthodontic relapse, improper muscle function, and airway obstruction. Tethered oral tissues such as a tongue-tie can also affect tongue position. Myofunctional therapy can retrain the tongue for better posture and function which can lead to optimal growth and development, improved nasal breathing, swallowing, and speech.

LIP SEAL

Open mouth posture leads to dry lips, low tongue position, mouth breathing and so much more. Establishing an ideal lip seal reinforces proper nasal breathing and swallow patterns. Through the exercises of myofunctional therapy the lips and orofacial muscles can be strengthened to support proper facial development and promote nasal breathing.

A FEW WORDS
ABOUT ME

Meet Minette. Minette graduated from the University of California, Riverside, with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences and began her career in dentistry as a Registered Dental Assistant in 2000. After several years in private practice, she became the Clinical Manager at the Las Vegas Institute, where she also taught in the Dental Team Program for nine years.

In 2014, Minette returned to school to pursue a career in dental hygiene and graduated with high honors from the College of Southern Nevada's Dental Hygiene Program. During her academic career, she was inducted into Sigma Phi Alpha Dental Hygiene Honor Society and Alpha Phi Omega National Co-Ed Service Fraternity. She was also honored with several awards and scholarships, including the Asian American Award for Excellence in Academics and Leadership, Academic Excellence Award, and Deborah Groom Peterman Community Award.

Throughout her dental career, Minette has remained passionate about education, leadership, and patient-centered care. In 2018, she received an Exceptional Performance (XP) Award from Pacific Dental Services and helped facilitate multiple hygiene study clubs. She has presented on a variety of topics to dental assistants and dental hygienists and served as a panelist at the Western Society of Periodontology's Dental Hygiene Symposium in 2021. She has also served as President of the Nevada Dental Hygienists' Association and continues to serve as its Membership Chair.

Minette's passion for helping patients achieve optimal health led her to expand her focus beyond traditional dental care. In 2022, she opened Exceptional Airways LLC, a health and wellness practice dedicated to providing orofacial myofunctional therapy and helping patients of all ages improve their breathing, sleep, oral function, and overall well-being. She is proud to be a Certified Orofacial Myologist through the International Association of Orofacial Myology (IAOM).

A lifelong learner, Minette continues to expand her knowledge and expertise in airway health and whole-person wellness. She is currently pursuing certification as an Integrative Breathing Therapy Practitioner and is a member of the American Academy of Physiological Medicine and Dentistry (AAPMD), International Association of Airway Hygienists (IAAH), and Airway Circle. She is also a Breathe Institute Ambassador and a graduate of TOTS Training.

Giving back to her community has always been an important part of Minette's life. She has volunteered her time and dental hygiene skills with numerous nonprofit organizations, including Remote Area Medical, Give Kids a Smile, Just One Project LV, and Special Olympics.

Outside of her professional life, Minette enjoys cooking, spending time with her husband and their two boys, and continuing to learn ways to help others breathe, sleep, and live better.

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MY VIDEOS

The core of myofunctional therapy is to create that perfect triad of nasal breathing, tongue posture, and lip seal. As your myofunctional therapist, my goal is to identify and break those bad habits to get you breathing better, functioning better, and ultimately living better. So, come and BREATHE. LIVE. SMILE with me!

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy FAQs

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy FAQs

What is orofacial myofunctional therapy?
The orofacial complex consists of muscles of the head, face, jaw, and neck. These muscles work well in harmony and good health and function stem from optimal muscle patterns. Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy addresses the root cause of many systemic disorders, and it is the re- education and re-training of these muscles for ideal function.
The goals of myofunctional therapy? *services provided
  • Encourage nasal breathing
  • Promote proper tongue rest position
  • Create an ideal lip seal
  • Support optimal swallowing, chewing, and drinking
  • Eliminate dysfunctional oral habits
Problems that can occur with incorrect oral and facial muscle development:
  • Tongue/Lip tie
  • Tongue thrust
  • Snoring
  • Sleep Apnea
  • Poor occlusion and chewing
  • Clenching, grinding, TMJ pain
  • Neck and back pain
  • Poor head and neck posture
  • Nasal congestion
  • Seasonal allergies
  • Mouth breathing
  • ADHD
  • Bed wetting
  • Speech problems
  • Periodontal Disease
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Irritability
  • Post-orthodontic relapse
What is an OMD?
An Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder (OMD) refers to the abnormal development of muscle patterns that may affect facial growth and development, breathing, speech, chewing, swallowing, dental development, orthodontic treatment stability, and more. OMDs develop when the body is consistently trying to function in an atypical manner.
Why is mouth-breathing bad?
Mouth breathing causes the mouth to be open constantly, low tongue position, retruded narrow jaws, inflammation of the oral tissues, vertical facial growth patterns, and forward head posture. Mouth breathing leads to poor blood oxygenation which is linked to several health problems such as hypertension, heart failure, stress, anxiety, sleep deprivation, and inadequate growth and development.
What is a tongue or lip tie?
Abnormal development of the tongue or lip in which they are unable to freely move around therefore interfering with its proper function. Tongue/lip ties are tethered oral tissues that can potentially lead to problems with breathing, nursing, chewing, swallowing, and speech.
What is a tongue thrust?
The ideal position of the tongue should rest in the roof of the mouth. A tongue thrust is a type of OMD where the tongue presses up against the teeth or in between them when swallowing. Improper tongue position can lead to poor occlusion and jaw and facial development.
Why haven’t I heard of myofunctional therapy before?
Myofunctional therapy began in 1918 with the work of Dr. Alfred Rogers. However most healthcare providers never learned about it or trained in it as a part of their traditional education and learning. As modern healthcare is moving to a more collaborative approach between various fields, healthcare providers are learning and understanding the connection between oral and systemic health. The mouth is the open door for the whole body and oral health plays a huge role in overall health.
How does myofunctional therapy work?
Myofuncational therapy is a series of exercises and behavior modification techniques that promote nasal breathing, proper tongue posture, and lip seal that can lead to improved breathing, chewing, and swallowing. The length of the myofunctional therapy program depends on age and the severity of dysfunction present.
What age should myofunctional therapy begin?
Adults and children alike are ideal candidates for myofunctional therapy.

TESTIMONIALS

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Minette. She is extremely knowledgeable, caring and passionate about what she does. I learned SO MUCH during my myofunctional assessment with her. It truly changed my perspective and understanding of my dental/facial/airway issues. Her instructions and assignments are super concise and clear, and if I have questions between sessions she’s always quick to respond. I’ve felt so supported by her through the entire process— I cannot thank her enough

- Julia R

I have known Minette for over 15 years and am always impressed with her knowledge, her attention to detail, and her genuine caring attitude for her patients. She works for me as a dental hygienist and our patients love her! Minette has furthered her education through a rigorous program to become certified as a myofunctional therapist. She is extremely thorough and looks at the whole patient to help them achieve optimal health. I know as a dentist that if a patient suffers from head and neck pain, has inadequate jaw size, or has sleep and breathing issues (snoring and/or sleep apnea) they will benefit from myofunctional therapy. I refer all of the patients I am treating for TMJ pain, sleep issues and orthodontic care to Minette so they get optimal healing, beautiful smiles and better sleep.

- Dr. Laurie Bloch-Johnson, DM

Minette is always learning and keeping up with health and dental research. She keeps us informed and it's great working with her and seeing her pass along that care to our patients. She helps our patients understand the mouth to body connection and collaborates with them to achieve optimal health.

- Lena N.

We have been working with Ms. Minette and the team at Dr. Laurie's office for over a year for our two children. Ms. Minette is informative and communicates clearly the concepts, expectations, and steps involved in the process for the kids' myotherapy. Her chairside manner is exceptional and she has formed a positive relationship with our family through her caring and fun nature, as the kids truly enjoy their appointments with her. We are very grateful for the extra effort and guidance she provides. The flexibility with the in-person and virtual appointments are a life-saver for our busy schedules and traveling from outside the Vegas area!

- Jake, Leanne, Lucy, and Henry K.

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