Switched On: The Day I Stopped Ignoring Function

The message from the speaker, Dr Ilia Jipa, senior specialist in Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics:

"I was a successful orthodontist with a full schedule, trusted colleagues, and well-honed protocols for moving teeth. Yet something vital was missing. The day I realized I had been ignoring function — the way my patients breathed, swallowed, rested, and grew — changed everything.

This presentation tells the story of that shift: from mechanics to physiology, from treating teeth in isolation to seeing the body behind the bite. It all began with a simple device — Froggymouth — which became the entry point into a complete functional awakening in my practice.

I will share how I built in-office protocols with Froggymouth that start at the first visit and continue through the completion of treatment, integrating functional assessments, myofunctional therapy, and interdisciplinary collaboration with speech therapists, ENTs, physiotherapists, and breathing specialists. You’ll hear concrete examples from real cases and discover how introducing functional thinking changed not just protocols — but outcomes, confidence, and long-term success.

It’s the true story of how I stopped treating teeth in isolation and started seeing the body behind the bite. How Froggymouth helped me bring stability to treatments and reshaped the very meaning of prevention in dentistry and orthodontics. I’ll share the stories of my first cases, the challenges, the honest mistakes, and the profound transformation that began when I stopped focusing on appliances — and started paying attention to how my patients breathe, swallow, and rest."