I've been meaning to write this review for a long time, but wanted to be sure my concerns were…read morevalid before sharing them. After meeting with other professionals and learning more about pediatric airway health, I feel ready to share my experience at Lansdowne Dental Care with Dr. Tracey Nguyen.
When my son was two years old, I noticed that he snored while sleeping. My instincts told me something wasn't right, so I began learning about airway and obstructive breathing issues in children. In my search for help, I found Dr. Nguyen, whose background in children's airway and sleep made me feel confident she would guide us in the right direction. My son was 3.5 when we went to see her.
Before our visit, the office required a $500 nonrefundable fee, which I paid, trusting that the expertise would be worth it. We traveled from Rockville, Maryland to Leesburg with our toddler and infant for the appointment.
At the visit, a technician took an intraoral scan (which my son had already completed earlier that year with his regular dentist). Dr. Nguyen came in examined my son's mouth briefly and mentioned he might have a long soft palate, then told us to come back when he was five. Panicked, I asked her different interventions I have read about. I asked about myofunctional therapy and intervention devices like the Myo Munchee or Tooth Pillow, but she said I could try them "if I wanted." The same went for a sleep study--she said I could do it "if I wanted" and could contact any facility myself. She even suggested canceling our ENT appointment the next day because she thought my son might not cooperate.
Overall, I left feeling that we were given no clear direction, plan, or professional guidance. Her tone and responses gave the impression that it was up to me to experiment and figure things out. At one point, a staff member handed me an in-home sleep study device (seemingly without Dr. Nguyen's direct involvement). I took it hoping to make something of the visit, but after returning the device (shipped it through mail), we never heard back from the office.
When I asked about the fee, Dr. Nguyen said it was for her "time and knowledge," but I left unsure what knowledge had been provided.
Thankfully, I did not cancel the ENT appointment. X-rays showed my son had enlarged adenoids, and surgery to remove them made a noticeable improvement in his breathing and sleep. Later, I connected with other airway professionals who provided a much clearer path forward, including identifying lip and buccal ties, starting myofunctional therapy, and discussing possible expansion treatment.
Interestingly, a friend whose a dentist that was interested learning about airway health attended one of Dr. Nguyen's seminars on pediatric airway, where she emphasized the importance of early intervention. That made it even more confusing that, in our case, we were told simply to wait until he was older.
Dr. Nguyen may be a fine general dentist, but based on my experience, I would not recommend her for pediatric airway or sleep concerns. Parents seeking help in this specialized area deserve clear direction, thorough evaluation, and actionable next steps--none of which we received.
If you are a parent or someone in need of help and guidance in airway, I HIGHLY recommend TMJ Sleep and Breathe Center in Vienna VA.
