Episode Overview
I'm excited to share this week's episode, and I have to say, this one really hit home for me personally. My guest is Dr. Chad Capps, a board-certified orthodontist practicing in Rockwall, Texas, who also serves as adjunct faculty in the Department of Orthodontics at Texas A&M University College of Dentistry. 

What makes this conversation so compelling is that, like me, he didn't set out to be an airway-focused orthodontist. He evolved. And the path that got him there, full of personal health struggles, defining patient moments, and a relentless pursuit of deeper purpose, is one I think so many of you will connect with. 

You'll get to listen to two board-certified orthodontists who were not trained in airway-focused treatment share how their thinking evolved and why we believe orthodontists are uniquely positioned to change lives, not just straighten teeth. We dive into the science, the clinical realities, and the politics of our profession, as well as the reasons we are both so passionate about airway-focused treatment. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Highlights & Timestamps
2:24 — **Welcome & Introduction**
The conversation kicks off with how our shared work on an upcoming publication brought us together.
3:18 — **A Career Path Redirected**
What started as a passion for restorative dentistry led to a defining patient moment — a mom in tears handing over a teacher's note about how her child's life had changed after expansion and an ENT referral. That was the turning point.
6:01 — **"That's What I Want to Do for the Rest of My Life"**
The moment the decision was made to pursue orthodontics — with airway and growth at the center of it.
7:41 — **Personal Health as a Clinical Lens**
After attending an airway-focused CE course, the pieces fell into place personally — UARS misdiagnosed as narcolepsy, multiple tongue surgeries, atrial fibrillation, and two children who also struggled. Living through these experiences has shaped an extraordinary level of clinical empathy and insight.
17:46 — **Building a Practice That Can Actually Do This Work**
The practical side: how do you restructure your schedule, limit new patient exams, build a stable and educated team, and create systems that allow for the depth of care airway treatment demands? Spoiler — it's not easy, but it's worth it.
32.13 — **The AAO White Paper on Pediatric Sleep Disordered Breathing**
A candid breakdown of what the updated white paper gets right — and where it falls short. We discuss the dismissal of craniofacial phenotypes, the role of CBCT, the spectrum of SDB beyond OSA, and the troubling contradictions within the paper's own cited references.
54:25 — **CBCT in Everyday Practice**
How CBCT is used not just for diagnosis, but as a communication tool — with ENTs, with parents, and with patients themselves. When patients can see their own airway on screen, they become partners in their care.
1:16:31 — **Extractions & Airway: The Real Conversation**
It's not the extraction itself — it's the failure to diagnose and address the underlying skeletal issue. A thoughtful breakdown of why this debate is often argued on the wrong terms, including a close look at the Larson article frequently cited by AAO leadership.
1:23:00 — **Not Everyone Has to Practice This Way — And That's Okay**
A mature and respectful take on the diversity of orthodontic practice. Not every provider needs to be an airway orthodontist — but everyone should be aware enough to recognize it and refer when they see it.
1:27:59 — **Closing Thoughts**
Why this work is "the most rewarding thing you will ever do in your life" — and a call to keep the conversation going, keep the community growing, and keep moving the needle.

Connect:

• Capps Orthodontics Website: https://cappsortho.com/ 
• Email Dr. Capps: [email protected]
• Join The DOC Community on Facebook for more great content and discussions: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Cb9rkQVde/
• Check out the DOC CE Courses: https://theorthocoach.com/ce-courses/
• Enroll in one-on-one coaching w/Dr. Mike: https://theorthocoach.com/doc-coaching/ 
• Dr. Gozal Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-irreversible-consequences-of-pediatric/id1689703392?i=1000758827479 

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with a colleague. That's how we move the needle together!