Meet our TEAM
Renata Nehme, RDH, BSDH, COM®
Renata Nehme has been a Registered Dental Hygienist since 2010. She received her Associates Degree from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, GA, and her Bachelors of Science Degree in Dental Hygiene from Georgia Highlands University.
While taking a continuing education class in 2016, she was introduced to the world of "Myofunctional Therapy" and immediately knew that was her calling. She was excited to learn that the tenets of myofunctional therapy encapsulate many of her passions which include breastfeeding, the import of early childhood development, and airway health.
Growing up as a mouth breather, Renata personally experienced the challenges that those with myofunctional disorders often face. That is why she is so passionate about spreading the knowledge she has acquired regarding airway-related health issues over the years.
Eager to help raise awareness of Myofunctional Disorders, in 2021 she founded Airway Circle with the intention of creating a collaborative and multidisciplinary group of like-minded health professionals who share the same passion for learning and giving in the dental health and airway space.
Alyssa Persinger, RDH
Alyssa has been working as a dental hygienist for nearly 8 years. She attended Virginia Western Community College, where she earned her Associates of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene in 2014.
Alyssa was first introduced to the world of myofunctional therapy when her own daughter was born tongue-tied in 2016 and had difficulty breastfeeding. Her journey continued on through several years of self-education, research, and watchfulness of pioneers in the field.
After years of observing signs of myofunctional disorders within those around her every day, she could no longer ignore the prevalence of disease within her patients and loved ones. In 2020, she decided to undergo formal training to better serve this population.
Alyssa has since completed hundreds of hours of continuing education in the subjects of airway centric disorders, orofacial muscular dysfunction, and how they affect the patient as a whole.
Alyssa’s passion for the subject drives her to not only assist others on the road to functional health, but also share the knowledge with other providers so that these conditions no longer go unnoticed and untreated.
Jennifer Sullivan, RDH
Jennifer has been a Registered Dental Hygienist since 2010. She received her Associates of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene from Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, NY.
Jenn first became interested in airway health when she had her first child who struggled with breastfeeding, colic, and sleep. She eventually brought him to a pediatric dentist who specialized in tethered oral tissues and discovered he had tongue, lip, and buccal ties. After screening adult patients for sleep apnea in her dental office she made the connection to her son who still had many red flags.
After researching treatments for children she discovered Myofunctional Therapy and began taking formal courses in 2020. She has attended the Collaboration for Cures conference in 2021 and 2022 as well as many continuing education courses in airway related health.
She has a passion for advocating for patients to get the best whole body functional approach!