Meet Alicia McGowan

Hi! I'm Alicia, the Clinic Director and Owner of London Tongue Tie Network.

My journey into the world of tethered oral tissues began the day I had my very first (and only!) interview out of school...I just didn't know it yet. At this office I was introduced to the concept of airway centric dentistry: a healthcare paradigm that extends past the teeth to the nose, throat, muscles of the tongue, face, neck - and beyond to the rest of the body. Suddenly, it is all related. We are fixing more than the teeth. We are helping the person, restoring more optimal health and function.

We routinely screened and treated our patients for crooked teeth, mouth breathing, jaw joint disorder, headaches/migraines, sleep issues such as snoring, grinding and sleep apnea. But it wasn't until 2015 when I was at home on maternity leave, that the common denominator revealed itself. My employer sent me an email with the subject line "Look Under Jude's Tongue" and a link to a Sandra Coulson lecture...and our lives were forever changed! Together we traveled down the rabbit hole learning all we could about tethered oral tissues, remediation and and myofunctional therapy and orthodontics. Who knew a tiny string had the power to influence how we eat, breathe, grow and sleep (and that's just the short list!).

I had my anterior tongue tie released in 2018 and, no word of exaggeration, it changed my life. Seeing in myself that potential for better health I became an advocate for spreading evidence based science for the remediation of tethered oral tissues. And if it could help me reverse years of dysfunction, surely treating the babies with ties could prevent them from having the issues that later in life plagued our adult patients? Teaming up with Jen Wade brought me closer and closer to discovering my passion: improving the breastfeeding dyad. Breastfeeding is the first myofunctional exercise we do! It grows our faces, teaches us how to breathe and swallow, and sets the stage for our life long oral motor function.

I have developed the London Tongue Tie Network as a resource and guide to help you along your own tongue tie journey. From the Intake Questionnaire, to the Assessment, to Remediation, I am here to help you every step of the way!

Yours in health and smiles,

Alicia

My happy little gang of three!

Chris, Jude and I live in beautiful Komoka, Ontario with our extra fluffy cat Gus. We love the beach, going on hikes and I have never met a donut I didn't like.

Credentials and Continued Learning

2005 Fanshawe College Accredited Dental Hygiene Graduate

• Recipient of the Program Coordinator's Personal Achievement Award

2005 Fixed Orthodontics for the Dental Auxillary

2008 Laser Assisted Dental Hygienist - Ivoclar Vivadent

2017 Oral Myologist - IAOM approved

2018 Certified Myobrace Educator

2019 GOLD Learning Tongue-Tie Symposium

Upcoming: Certified Buteyko Breathing Educator, Breathe Baby, Tongue-Tied Academy

Memberships

College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario

Canadian Dental Hygiene Association

International Association of Orofacial Myology

International Affiliation of Tongue Tie Professionals