Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists

Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists Elevating Pediatric Specialty Care Through Education And Community

08/24/2026

Not all Class I, II, or III cases are the same. And if you treat them like they are… you’re missing the diagnosis.

As Dr. Chad Rasmussen explains, skeletal relationships are far more nuanced than we were taught 👇

✔️ “Class I” can still be deficient or excessive
✔️ Class II & III cases can present in multiple skeletal combinations
✔️ Maxillary and mandibular positions must be evaluated independently

When you break it down, there are multiple types of deficiencies—not just one label.

And that changes everything about treatment planning.

Because great orthodontics isn’t about classification…
it’s about understanding the underlying skeletal problem.

At the Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists, this is how we train providers to think deeper—and treat smarter.

08/20/2026

Poor sleep isn't just a symptom for kids — it's a cycle.
As Dr. Trey Williams explains:
✔️ Fragmented sleep → systemic inflammation
✔️ Inflammation → worsens airway and gut issues
✔️ Those issues → disrupt sleep even more
And just like that, kids get stuck in a loop they can't break.
Most families don't even realize it's happening — because they're treating symptoms, not the system.
This is why no single provider can solve it alone.
👉 It takes a multidisciplinary approach
👉 It takes collaboration
👉 It takes connecting the dots
That's exactly what's happening at the Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists — bringing specialties together to break the cycle and change outcomes for kids.


08/19/2026

To every pediatric clinician who has ever wished cleft care were less fragmented — you're not alone.
Dr. Rick Kapitan, pediatric oral and maxillofacial surgeon, founded the Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists to bring pediatric dentistry, ENT, orthodontics, speech-language pathology, and surgery into the same room — and the same patient plan.
Transformations like this one are the result.



08/17/2026

You didn’t sell your practice for $5M… You sold it for what you keep.

As JD Thacker explains, this is where most doctors get it wrong 👇

✔️ They anchor to the headline number
✔️ They plan as if they’ll receive the full amount
✔️ They forget about taxes, fees, and structure

That $5M deal?

Might actually be closer to $3.5M net.

And that changes everything—

➡️ Lifestyle planning
➡️ Investment strategy
➡️ Retirement timeline

This isn’t bad news.
It’s just reality.

The key is simple:
👉 Plan based on what you keep, not what you sell for.
Because clarity upfront leads to better decisions long-term.

08/12/2026

SAPS — the Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists. We bridge the communication lines between orthodontists, pediatric dentists, myofunctional therapists, speech pathologists, pediatric ENTs, and pediatricians who have a heart for kids. SAPS provides a collaborative environment to solve problems together and treatment plan cases comprehensively, so every child gets the highest level of care their parents are looking for. Learn more at thesouthernacademy.com.



08/11/2026

Airway isn’t just structure. And that’s where a lot of providers get it wrong.

Muscle tone.
Sleep physiology.
Inflammation.
Breathing habits.

Orthodontics plays a role—but it’s only one piece of the airway puzzle.

As Dr. Alex Culp explains, the best outcomes don’t come from one specialty…
they come from true collaboration.

ENTs.
Myofunctional therapists.
Pediatricians.
Sleep physicians.
Oral surgeons.

All working together to treat the whole child—not just the teeth.

At the Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists, this is the standard.

Because airway care should be:
✔️ Evidence-based
✔️ Patient-centered
✔️ Interdisciplinary

Not driven by trends.

08/07/2026

Cleft lip and palate isn’t just a condition… it’s something that begins before birth. 🧠💙

On Charlotte Today, Dr. Rick Kapitan explains it simply 👇

👉 During early development, the face, nose, and mouth are meant to fuse together.

When that process doesn’t fully occur, a child can be born with a cleft lip, cleft palate, or both—with varying levels of separation.

While it can sound overwhelming…

👉 Early diagnosis and modern treatment make a life-changing difference.

With the right care team, children can grow, develop, and thrive with confidence.

08/05/2026

This is what coordinated cleft and craniofacial care produces.
Surgery: Dr. Rick Kapitan, pediatric oral surgeon and founder of the Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists.
Team: pediatric dentistry, pediatric ENT, orthodontics, speech-language pathology.
Goal: a child who eats, speaks, hears, smiles, and grows without limits.

08/03/2026

Feeding is more complex than walking or talking. And most providers underestimate it.

As Dr. Leslie Giambronne and team explain—feeding requires a highly coordinated system 👇

✔️ Jaw stability
✔️ Lip closure
✔️ Tongue function (7+ muscles working together)

When these aren’t developed…
everything downstream is affected.

You’ll see kids:
➡️ Needing support just to stabilize their jaw
➡️ Struggling to progress to solid foods
➡️ Compensating in ways that delay development

Because without jaw + lip closure…
feeding progression breaks down.

This isn’t just a feeding issue—
it’s airway, muscle function, and development working (or not working) together.

At the Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists, we train providers to recognize these early signs—so intervention happens before delays compound.


07/30/2026

What happens when you bring every pediatric specialist into the same room?

You don’t just get education… you get real collaboration.

In this episode of the All In Practice Growth Podcast, featuring Whitney Kapitan, you hear how The Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists has evolved beyond just pediatric dentists and orthodontists to include:

→ Speech pathologists
→ Pediatric ENTs
→ Multidisciplinary providers all aligned around better patient outcomes

And when that level of collaboration happens…
the enthusiasm in the room is undeniable.

Because the best care doesn’t happen in silos—
it happens when specialists communicate, share insights, and work together as a team.

🎧 Full episode now live on the All In Practice Growth Podcast with Shane McElroy.



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