Help with Airway and Expansion Cases (RPE, IPE, Schwartz)

Pediatric Expansion is often needed in order to fully develop a face and bite. . Research does show a connection between expansion and airway. 

Due to potential orthodontic and emotional complications , our team at StraightSmile Solutions only supports palatal expansion on pediatric patients who have 1st molars (6’s) FULLY erupted.  If you are looking to learn to expand on 2-5 year olds, please find another mentorship program.  We also recommend you refer to the AAPD’s policy on this topic. AAPD Statement On Early Expansion policy statement

There are also several pediatric appliances we can’t / don’t work with.Before you sign up, please see   point 18 in our FAQ

We recommend taking one of our Phase 1 Interceptive Courses BEFORE starting a case. After that, please purchase an A-La-Carte Case or a Concierge Membership. 

Sorry, we can not support ANY adult expansion cases of ANY kind- here’s why. 

Please also refer to the ADA_2019_Policy_Role_of_Dentistry_Sleep_Related_Breathing_Disorders (1)

Lastly, all dentists should be aware of this ADA Policy Statement from 2023   

We also recommend you be aware of the AAO White Paper Policy on Airway 2026

Orthodontics is Airway, and Airway is Orthodontics. They are inherently inseparable, and airway health drives our interceptive orthodontic protocols.
However, we approach this strictly from a safe, evidence-based orthodontic perspective. Many popular commercial courses advocate for aggressive “airway interventions” before a child’s first permanent molars erupt. Treating patients in that specific development window without a grounded orthodontic framework is considered below the standard of care and introduces unnecessary legal liability. We prioritize structural safety alongside airway development to protect both the patient and the practice. 
Why Straight Smile Solutions Choose Not to Offer a Standalone “Airway Course”
At Straight Smile Solutions, clinical compliance and evidence-based practice are at the core of everything we teach. We frequently receive inquiries regarding a standalone orthodontic airway curriculum. We have intentionally chosen not to offer one.
Current American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) guidelines and white papers are clear: orthodontic intervention—including maxillary expansion and Phase 1 therapy—is not clinically proven to prevent, treat, or cure sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Marketing or treating cases under the guise of an “airway cure” introduces severe diagnostic, clinical, and legal liability to your dental practice. The established role of the dentist is strictly bounded to screening, documenting, and referring to medical specialists.
The Compliant Alternative: Our Phase 1 Interceptive Course
We believe that pediatric airway screening and skeletal development cannot—and should not—be separated. Therefore, instead of a high-risk sleep medicine course, these essential protocols are fully baked into our Phase 1 Interceptive Orthodontic Course.
Our curriculum focuses on safe, legally compliant, and biomechanically sound workflows:
  • Skeletal & Arch Development: Maximizing transverse arch width, optimizing skeletal growth windows, and establishing ideal arch form mechanics.
  • Risk & Liability Mitigation: Training your team on how to properly screen, document, and monitor pediatric growth without making unsupportable medical claims.
  • Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Mastering the exact boundaries of when to manage a case dentofacially and when to execute a formal medical referral to an ENT or sleep specialist.
You do not need to navigate the clinical minefield of a separate sleep course to responsibly care for your growing patients. You simply need to master robust, evidence-based Phase 1 interceptive mechanics.