Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists

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

05/27/2026

The before-and-after is the highlight reel. The real story is the team.
Cleft surgery by Dr. Rick Kapitan. Coordinated care by pediatric dentistry, ENT, orthodontics, and speech-language pathology. United through the Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists, the organization Dr. Kapitan founded to elevate pediatric specialty collaboration across the South.
www.thesouthernacademy.com

05/26/2026

Meet Dr. Alex Culp—one of the few dual board-certified pediatric dentists and orthodontists in the country, bringing a uniquely comprehensive approach to pediatric and adolescent dental care.
With advanced training in both pediatric dentistry and orthodontics, Dr. Culp is able to guide patients from their earliest dental visits through full smile development—creating more predictable, long-term outcomes for children.
After completing his dental education at the Medical University of South Carolina, he went on to complete both pediatric and orthodontic residencies—serving as chief resident in both programs. Today, he not only treats patients but also helps train future orthodontists while contributing to innovation alongside dental manufacturers.
This level of expertise and collaboration is exactly what defines the Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists (SAPS).
SAPS brings together pediatric dentists, orthodontists, oral surgeons, ENTs, and healthcare professionals to break down silos and improve outcomes for children through a multidisciplinary approach.
Because the future of pediatric healthcare isn’t isolated—it’s collaborative.
👉 If you're a pediatric specialist looking to grow, connect, and be part of something bigger—SAPS is where you belong.

05/25/2026

She’s 7 years old…
but communicating like a 3-year-old.

26 sound errors.
Struggling in school.
Losing confidence every day.

This isn’t just a speech issue.

As Dr. Leslie Giambronne and her team emphasize—speech, airway, and function are deeply connected.

When underlying issues go unaddressed, the impact goes far beyond communication 👇

✔️ Academic performance
✔️ Social confidence
✔️ Emotional well-being

And too often… these kids are labeled instead of truly evaluated.

This is where interdisciplinary care changes everything.

At the Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists, providers learn how to connect the dots—so kids don’t fall behind when the real issue is being missed.

05/21/2026

Think of it like an employment prenup.
Sounds uncomfortable… but it’s necessary.

As Robert Kapitan explains—every employment relationship will end at some point.

The question is 👇

Will it end smoothly…
or in conflict?

With 400+ cases involving non-competes and disputes, the pattern is clear:

✔️ What’s defined upfront prevents problems later
✔️ Clear expectations protect both sides
✔️ Avoiding the conversation doesn’t avoid the outcome

It may feel counterintuitive to plan for the end…
when you’re just getting started.

But that’s exactly what protects the relationship long-term.

Because the best agreements don’t assume failure—
they prepare for reality.

05/20/2026

“I met another orthodontist… ¾ of a mile from my office—and we’d never connected until SAPS.”

This is what makes the Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists different.

It’s not just about learning…
It’s about real connection inside your own community.

Orthodontists. Pediatric dentists. ENTs. Speech pathologists. Myofunctional therapists.

All in one room—sharing what’s actually happening in practice and figuring out how to work together to deliver better patient care.

👉 The best part?
These conversations don’t stay at the conference…

They show up the very next week in your practice.

💬 Want to build stronger referral relationships and collaborate at a higher level? Comment “SAPS” and we’ll send you details on the next event.
🔗 Save this if you believe collaboration is the future of pediatric healthcare.
👥 Follow Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists for more insights on airway, growth, and multidisciplinary care.

05/18/2026

Craniofacial growth isn’t random.
It’s driven by the brain… and guided by function.

As Dr. Chad Rasmussen explains, as the brain grows, it pushes the maxilla down and forward—
triggering suture development and new bone formation.

At the same time 👇

✔️ Soft tissue pulls the face forward
✔️ Sutures open to allow maxillary growth
✔️ The mandible adapts through condylar growth and remodeling

This is a coordinated system—
not isolated structures.

Which means growth, airway, and orthodontics are all deeply connected.

If you don’t understand the biology…
you can’t fully guide the outcome.

At the Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists, we teach providers how to think at this level—where growth, function, and treatment all align.

05/14/2026

Early diagnosis. Team-based care. Life-changing outcomes. 🧠💙

On Charlotte Today, Dr. Rick Kapitan explains how cleft lip and palate treatment truly works 👇

👉 These conditions can impact:
✔️ Feeding in infancy
✔️ Speech development
✔️ Facial growth and social confidence

But here’s the most important part…

👉 We can identify it early—often before birth.

With early diagnosis, families are connected to a multidisciplinary cleft team that guides them every step of the way—from planning to surgery to long-term care.

Through collaboration with specialists across disciplines, and organizations like The Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists, patients receive the comprehensive support they need for the best possible outcome.

Because this isn’t just about surgery…

👉 It’s about giving children the opportunity to grow, develop, and thrive with confidence.

05/13/2026

Every transformation like this represents dozens of clinical decisions made by multiple specialists over many years.
Cleft lip and cleft palate repair: Dr. Rick Kapitan, pediatric oral surgeon and founder of the Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists.
Surrounding care: pediatric dentists, orthodontists, ENTs, and speech-language pathologists who treat this patient population with the same dedication.
This is collaborative pediatric care, working as designed.
www.thesouthernacademy.com

05/12/2026

Speech doesn’t start in the mouth. It starts with breath.

As Dr. Summer McMurry explains—every word we speak happens on the exhale 👇

✔️ Inhale → diaphragm drops
✔️ Exhale → airflow rises
✔️ Vocal cords vibrate → speech is produced

Speech is literally controlled airflow.

Which means if breathing is off…
speech can be too.

This is why airway, respiration, and communication are all connected.

You’re not just evaluating sounds—
you’re evaluating the entire system behind them.

At the Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists, we train providers to understand these connections—because better breathing leads to better function.

05/07/2026

Not all pediatric airway issues are created equal.

And not all of them are treated the same way.

As Dr. Jad Jabbour explains—

✔️ Laryngomalacia? Often a quick, minimally invasive procedure
✔️ Tracheomalacia / bronchomalacia? Much more complex
✔️ Advanced cases may require tracheopexy—stabilizing the airway by anchoring it to surrounding structures

This is where pediatric airway care goes far beyond the basics.

It’s not just diagnosis—
it’s understanding when a case escalates and who needs to be involved.

ENT.
Chest surgery.
Multidisciplinary coordination.

Because the pediatric airway isn’t static…
it’s dynamic—and demands the right level of care.

At the Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists, this is the level of insight providers gain to manage even the most complex cases.

05/06/2026

Meet Dr. Andrea Best—an orthodontist dedicated to improving pediatric and adolescent patient outcomes through early intervention, advanced orthodontic care, and multidisciplinary collaboration.
From graduating at the top of her class at the University of Florida to building a thriving orthodontic practice in North Carolina, Dr. Best combines clinical excellence with a patient-first approach. Her work in cleft care and orthodontic development highlights the importance of collaboration across specialties to deliver better long-term results for children.
This is exactly what makes the Southern Academy of Pediatric Specialists (SAPS) different.
SAPS brings together pediatric dentists, orthodontists, oral surgeons, ENTs, speech therapists, and medical professionals to break down silos and improve how we care for children.
Because better collaboration leads to better outcomes.
If you're a pediatric specialist looking to grow, connect, and elevate your impact—this is where you belong.
👉 Learn more and get involved with SAPS

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