1. Do you take insurance?

No, nor Care Credit. The therapy is fee-for-service. I have received payment from patient's’ HSA’s accounts. Orofacial myofunctional therapists are not in network with any insurance company, and so, orofacial myofunctional therapy is not covered well by insurance largely because it is an emerging field and most insurance companies are not aware of it. I recommend you speak with your insurer to get clarity on what they will cover. Please note that myofunctional therapy is billed UNDER MEDICAL, NOT DENTAL insurance.  It’s best if you can acquire a “letter of medical necessity” from your doctor for orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMFT).

I can provide a patient with a Superbill for $150 which might help you get reimbursed, and this is done once one is an active patient in therapy with me and has completed a treatment plan phase. A single superbill can be provided for each phase. If you are seeing other doctors for additional conditions, receiving an official diagnosis for anything that relates to the orofacial or pharyngeal muscles (sleep apnoea, dysphagia, tongue tie, asthma, tonsillitis, rhinitis, Bell’s Palsy) may prove medical need for myofunctional therapy and increase your chances of reimbursement.

2. If my child and I are treated together, can we get a discount?

Yes, if you both enroll in the group classes or at the same time for 1:1 treatment, one of you will receive 10% off, and you will receive 10% off each additional family member.

Consultations are separate and charged individually at $350 per person. Every patient is assessed and treated as an individual and charged as such just like when one receives dental work, medical treatment or chiropractic adjustments. Every patient presents with different needs and receives an individual treatment plan with individual appointment times corresponding to those needs, thus, no two patients are treated the same nor at the same time.

4. How much does it cost?

I charge by phase, not by appointment, and payment is expected in full before beginning. treatment plan. There are no payment plan options. I only accept payment via ACH transfer or wire transfer and do not use Zelle, paypal, Venmo or cash app. Neuroplasticity takes 60-70 days, and Phase 1 takes approximately this long. Treatment prices range from $500-$3,000, and length of treatment can range from from one month, to one year. Once I have assessed your imaging, I will provide you with a consultation wherein I will present you with my findings. After you will receive my treatment plan options, prices, suggested referrals, recommended reading, a list of other professionals to follow on social media, and my help as a life long resource. You will walk away with a wealth of knowledge, feeling more empowered with the ability to make an informed decision on your future health. Consultations are 90 minutes for $350, and if treatment is taken on, that $350 will be prorated toward your treatment plan price (please note, the $350 will not be prorated toward breathing reeducation).

5. Is it possible to have more than one tongue tie?

Yes. An individual can have an anterior (front) AND a mid lingual (middle of tongue) tethered oral tissue or bridled tissues. All tongue ties are inherently “mid” and congenital (with special exceptions). A Tethered muscles lack optimal range of motion and thus, have poor potential for developing tonicity, function and integration. Once the mid tongue tie is identified through the Tongue Range of Motion Ratio’s Tongue to Incisive Papilla and Lingual Palatal Suction, it is important to have a frenectomy to ensure complete release of the tongue. One can have lip ties & buccal ties (cheek) as well. The tongue tie assessment is comprised of three parts: visual, health history and tactile evaluation. I will complete the first two and other specialists, like an ENT, Oral Surgeon or Dentist, will complete the tactile exam.
(A mid tongue tie is also known as a “posterior tongue tie”)

6. What are your hours and do you have a clinic?

Currently for working one on one, I am available Thursdays on Zoom only starting 8am EST-6pm, the last appointment being at 6pm. Both of the 9 week adult and child myofunctional therapy classes are taught through Brooklyn Oak Dental Care and both feature classes that are in in-person and on Zoom. Adult classes are on Wednesdays evenings at 7pm and childrens classes are Tuesdays at 6pm. Please email me for the latest class schedules.

7. Won’t tongue movements and integration happen automatically after a tongue tie release?

No. As the saying goes, “Neurons that fire together, wire together”, thus, simply snipping tissues does not provide any neuromuscular education to the brain, and so, risk for tongue-tie wounds healing very tightly after release (more restriction) increases significantly. Ergo, changes in release of tethered oral tissue(s) do not equate to changes in the brain. The orofacial myofunctional movements and integration must be taught and frequently practiced, at least over a 60-70 day period (my phase1), to establish a new learned motor pattern. This is how we facilitate neuroplasticity, the creation of new neural pathways.

8. What’s it like in regards to methodology, time, duration, and difficulty?

We use tongue depressors, stomadhesive, buttons, thera-bands, dental cotton rolls, orthodontic rubber bands, bite blocks, chew tubes and many more tools and gadgets for exercising in OMFT. We also do exercises with different textures of foods and water. In the beginning we’ll do weekly Zoom meetings, and gradually, those meetings will space out if we continue to Phase2. I do not pass all patients to Phase. An evaluation is completed after Phase 1 to see if the patient is ready for or if they need Phase 2. The exercises themselves can be difficult and often painful post-op.

It is the time commitment and dedication to daily quality exercise that is demanding. This type of therapy requires you to show up every day and do your best, otherwise you will not get your money’s worth and your symptoms or conditions will likely recur. You must be actively ready to begin the change in yourself or your child. It is a health and lifestyle choice because you will be doing exercises everyday, sometimes up to one year. It is not to be taken lightly. The length of your treatment plan depends on your level of need, compliance and progress, but the range falls between eight weeks to one year for optimal results, however, every case is different and no treatment plan is identical. I will be in your life for an intensive bit and show you how to sustain everything you will learn so you can thrive long after your myofunctional therapy is complete. Lastly, parents of younger children are my copilot and MUST learn and practice the exercises on themselves and on their children in order to lead their child through a treatment plan for optimal results.

9. How come I’ve never heard of myofunctional therapy?

Unfortunately. applied myofunctional sciences along with tongue tie is not covered in conventional medical and dental school, and providers must study extra to become myofunctionally literate. Thankfully, that is now changing rapidly. Most providers, like myself, need to complete post graduate training from independent institutions to learn about tethered oral tissues and how to properly treat them and other orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs) and breathing pattern disorders. It is still considered an emerging field. It is an adjunct therapy to dentistry, orthodontia and osteopathy. Most people who align strictly with conventional restorative western medicine would not have these types of therapies on their radar.

10. Are you doing speech therapy?

No. I am correcting functional speech targets, not working with speech therapy. I am training muscles to hit their targets better, and when we improve functional movement of speech, a person’s speech usually improves as a nice side effect. Also, once a dysfunction is determined to be laryngeal, I would refer that patient to a licensed speech pathologist to address that specific laryngeal problem and continue their OMT.