On a Mission to Promote the Mouth-Body Connection (w/Lauren Gueits, RDH) [Ep.74]

Life is a journey and today’s guest, Lauren Gueits, truly exemplifies that fact.  She has worked in private practice, as a high-level rep with Align, and is now on a mission to help children by advancing awareness of airway health.  Lauren has an amazing ability to persevere through whatever life puts in front of her and has a deep passion for promoting the connection between our mouth and our overall health.  We discuss:

·         How Lauren ended up pursuing dental hygiene as a career, and why she feels she was called to dentistry.

·         Her role with Dr. Lorne Golub and Dr. Maria Ryan in promoting Periostat.

·         Why she has always had a passion for the connection between oral and systemic health.

·         How Lauren’s endless curiosity began as a child.

·         How she impressed Align CEO, Joe Hogan, during one of her lectures at Invisalign Summit.

·         Her creation of the position of Hygiene Education Manager at Align and assembling the hygiene team.

·         Her transition from private practice to corporate to entrepreneurship.

·         The critical role of the hygienist to create value from the hygiene chair.

·         Why once you see the impact that orthodontics can have on airway, you can’t unsee it.

·         The need to redefine malocclusion as craniofacial dystrophy.

·         What motivated Lauren to launch Airway Health Solutions in 2018.

·         How she plans to advance airway health care in the upcoming years.

·         The need to have in person discussions versus hiding behind our computers debating online.

·         The importance of keeping the faith through life’s highs and lows.

·         The need to develop more thorough and consistent screening tools for airway compromise.

·         That the AAO guidelines do NOT say to wait until 7yo to initiate orthodontic treatment.

·         Why orthodontic residents don’t do much Phase I treatment in residency.

·         How OSA is like Stage 4 cancer, and we need to address it when we notice it at Stage 1 (SDB).

·         The reasons why changing your mindset regarding early treatment and airway can be emotionally challenging.

·         How Lauren balanced being a mom of 3 children with her career aspirations and obligations. 

·         How she judges her success as a mother.

·         And much more!!

LINKS:

-Dew Life Article highlighting Lauren: https://issuu.com/dentalentrepreneur/docs/dew_spring2024_issu

-www.airwayhealthsolutions.com

-www.childrensairwayfirst.org