MRC European Summit

Dr Chris Farrell
BDS

Dr Chris Farrell graduated from Sydney University in 1971 having gained a comprehensive knowledge of traditional orthodontics using the BEGG technique. Through clinical experience, Dr Farrell took an interest in TMJ/TMD disorder and, following further research, he discovered the aetiology of malocclusion and TMJ disorder was myofunctional, contradicting the established views of his profession. Dr Farrell founded Myofunctional Research Co. (MRC) in 1989 to develop myofunctional appliances that would prove effective in early orthodontic treatment. His Trainer and Myobrace^® appliance systems are now used by orthodontists and dentists in more than 100 countries around the world.

Dr Luca Levrini
Professor

Luca Levrini is an associate professor at the University of Insubria (Como and Varese, Italy), where he serves as the director of the Postgraduate School in Orthodontics and vice president of the Degree School in Dental Hygiene. He provides clinical dental services as the University Medical Director at the Public Macchi Hospital of Varese (Italy).

He is also a national councilor of the Sindacato Unitario Specialità Ortodonzia and a member of the Order of Journalists of Lombardy, on the publicists list. Additionally, he is the president of the Alessandro Volta Foundation and the National Ministerial Committee for the celebrations of the birth of Pliny the Elder. He also serves as Governance Coordinator of Como UNESCO Creative City. He is the author of more than sixty publications indexed on PubMed.

Dr John Flutter
BDS London Dental Surgeon

Dr Flutter qualified as a dentist at Kings College Hospital Dental School at the University of London in December 1971 and practiced dentistry in the UK until moving to Australia in 1977. Dr Flutter has been practising orthodontic treatment for 44 years and become familiar with all techniques involved, with particular interest in the benefits of integrating a Biobloc with emphasis on establishing nasal breathing for improvement of growth, health, facial development and orthodontic stability over orthodontic excellence alone.

Dr Flutter has been adopting MRC's systems into his clinics since October 2009 and is a certified breathing practitioner and Buteyko breathing practitioner who has lectured extensively on 'Myofunctional Influences on Facial Growth and Dentition' in 67 countries over the last 22 years.

Dr Barry Raphael
DMD

Dr Raphael is an orthodontist and founder of the Raphael Center for Integrative Orthodontics in Clifton, New Jersey.  His focus on 'big picture' orthodontics started with his introduction to Chris Farrell and The Myobrace^® System in 2008. Now, Dr Raphael offers a wide range of integrative techniques designed to help children grow in the best possible way and to help adults find wellness, not just symptomatic relief. He teaches these concepts at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, at the Raphael Center for Integrative Education, nationally and internationally. Dr Raphael is working closely with the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) to move the practice of dentistry forward in the 21st century.

Dr Vincenzo Giorgino
Qualified Specialist in Orthodontics

Dr Giorgino Vincenzo has been using Myobrace^® since 2011 and started speaking at scientific conferences on Myobrace^® treatment of specific cases in 2014. Since then he has continued to study Myobrace^® treatment protocol, integrating it with his knowledge of bioprogressive orthodontics, gnathology, treatment of sleep disorders and myofunctional therapy. As an orthodontist, he exclusively performs myofunctional, lingual and bracket-less orthodontics. As the first Myobrace^® provider in Italy, he is the referral specialist of the Myobrace^® Study Groups in Italy and is also a SIDO and DDS member.

Dr Steven Olmos
DDS

Dr. Steven Olmos has been in private practice for over 35 years with the last 30 years devoted to research and treatment of Craniofacial Pain, TMD, and Sleep Disordered Breathing. He obtained his DDS from USC (University of Southern California) School of Dentistry and has continued his education with over 4,500 hours dedicated to research and treatment in the field of mandibular orthopedic dysfunction and sleep disordered breathing. Dr. Olmos is board-certified in both craniofacial pain and dental sleep medicine. He is the founder of TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centres International with over 60 Centres spanning 7 countries dedicated exclusively to the treatment of these disorders. Dr. Olmos has been honored for his contributions to dentistry with Fellowship in the Academy of Dentistry International and the 2008 AACP Haden-Stack Award for his contributions to education in the field of TMD and Craniofacial Pain.

Dr Madeeha Khan
BOralH GDipDent

Dr Madeeha Khan completed her studies in dentistry at Griffith University in 2016, achieving awards for academic excellence for three consecutive years. She has been working at the Myobrace^® Pre-Orthodontic Center since completing her studies and is passionate about improving the overall health of children.

Dr John Roberts
BDS

Born in Liverpool, England, Dr John Roberts qualified in dentistry at Leeds University in 1981. After working in NHS dental care, he started his own practice in Rochdale in 1987. This new practice allowed him to create a more holistic approach to dental care. This included mercury-free and safe restorative care, non-extraction orthodontics and prioritised preventive dental hygiene for general health. Being an early adopter of myofunctional therapy, this included cranial osteopathy, homeopathy, kinesiology, nutrition, and many other alternative health practices.

From 2000-2002 Dr Roberts studied part-time in Washington DC and achieved a second medical degree in integrative medicine.

His new integrative dental and health practice opened in 2003 for collaboration between dentist and other complementary health practitioners. It was a UK leading model for dental care being part of a health care team.

Dr Roberts moved back to a more holistic dental clinic in 2017 and now works independently in several dental practices throughout England and Scotland in conjunction with complementary health practitioners delivering dentistry for health and healing.

As John’s career has evolved, he now lectures in the UK and abroad on the structural link between dentistry, breathing, swallowing, posture, sleep and whole body health.

Patrick McKeown
MB, MBA, Dip BM, FBP

Patrick McKeown was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, completing his clinical training in Russia. Since 2002, he has taught functional breathing to help children and adults with insomnia, snoring and sleep apnea. Patrick’s article, 'Breathing Re-Education and Phenotypes of Sleep Apnea: A Review', co-authored with Drs. Carlos O'Connor-Reina and Guillermo Plaza, is published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.

'The Breathing Cure' (2021), Patrick’s newest book, is a deep dive into the science of breathing.  It explores functional breathing for a wide range of health conditions, and breathing exercises suitable for adults, children and teens.

Peter Helderop
Speech Therapist

Peter Helderop is a speech therapist, graduated at the University of Applied Sciences in Leiden, The Netherlands. He opened his first practice in Vlaardingen in 1989. Peter gained several postgraduate qualifications in orofacial myofunctional, voice, stuttering, speech and language therapy both in The Netherlands and other countries. He contributed to the development of the Dutch Dental Association (NMT) paediatric dentistry guidelines and is also a (guest) lecturer on the Paediatric Dentistry course taught at the Academic Centre for Dentistry in Amsterdam (ACTA) and the Continuing Education Program in Comprehensive Dentistry (CEPCD) in Oisterwijk. Peter has been teaching continuing education courses on speech therapy and dentistry orofacial myofunctional therapy for over 28 years.

Kelly De Miro
RDH, BS, OMT, IBCLC

Ms Kelly Baker began her career as a chairside dental assistant in high school and went on to become a registered dental hygienist. She furthered her education in the dental field by learning more about clinical applications of techniques and obtaining her local anaesthesia permit in 2008. She attended an IAOM course to become a myofunctional therapist in October of that same year. After spending 22 years practicing as a RDH and OMT, she took up a role as the lead US educator with MRC where she has been able to express her passion of belief in myofunctional therapy.

Dr Peter Jan Meulenbelt

Dr Peter Jan Meulenbelt graduated as a general practitioner from the University of Utrecht in 1981. His interest in orthodontics started in in the early 90’s when he attended the first course of Progressive Orthodontic Seminars (POS), introducing orthodontics to general practitioners. Together with three colleagues he founded the Orthodontic Association for General Practitioners (OVAP), which had around 450 general practitioners listed as members, and he was a member of the OVAP board for many years. In 1997, he organised a course (Habitual Mouth Breathing, more than just an orthodontic problem) and acted as moderator of this OVAP-course. After following several postgraduate courses within the Netherlands and abroad, his practice started working with the Bioprogressive Therapy of Dr Robert M. Ricketts. In 2012, he learned about MRC and the Myobrace^® treatment protocols.

As a result of the summer of 2015, he started the first clinic for preventive orthodontics in the Netherlands, Wijs Met Je Neus, using myofunctional equipment and OMFT. In 2020, he started giving lectures to dentists and other practitioners on the health benefits of using the Myobrace^® treatment system compared to traditional orthodontics. His interest in using the BWS in combination with Myobrace^® has become a strong pillar of his practice.