The DOC Podcast

Episode Summary
In this powerful episode, Dr. Mike sits down with Dr. Staci Whitman, a board-certified pediatric dentist, functional and naturopathic dentistry expert, and one of the only dentists in the world certified by the Institute of Functional Medicine. Dr. Staci shares her remarkable journey from nearly leaving the profession entirely to becoming a trailblazer in functional pediatric dentistry. Together, they dive deep into the critical connections between oral health and whole-body health, exposing the gaps in traditional dental education and offering a roadmap for how dentists and patients can do better.

Show Notes
0:00 — Introduction & welcome
1:49 — Topics covered today: fluoride, oral-gut microbiome, airway health, burnout, and more
3:33 — Dr. Staci's journey: from a childhood dental trauma to nearly quitting the profession
5:47 — "I almost left dentistry" — how debt kept her in and what ultimately changed
6:57 — The pivot to pediatrics and a root-cause, upstream approach
15:36 — Her three diagnostic priorities: nutrition, gut health, and airway (not the teeth)
16:11 — "We don't have dental physicians" — connecting the mouth to the whole body
33:12 — The fluoride debate: how Dr. Staci went from advocate to skeptic
37:06 — Fluoride works topically, not systemically — what the science actually says
56:06 — The oral microbiome: nitric oxide, the oral-gut axis, and why it matters
57:02 — "You cannot have a healthy patient without a healthy gut"
58:00 — Oral microbiome testing: options, tools, and why it should be standard of care
1:05:46 — Top action step #1: nutrition and reducing snacking frequency
1:07:40 — Top action step #2: hydration, saliva, and minerals
1:08:02 — Top action step #3: airway and the dangers of mouth breathing

Resources & Links Mentioned:
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The health of our patients and our profession depends on dentists willing to think differently. Please share this episode with a colleague or fellow parent who needs to hear it!

What is The DOC Podcast?

The DOC Podcast brings you unique educational content taught by Dr. Mike DeLuke, a Board Certified Orthodontist with over 20 years of clinical and academic experience. Dr. DeLuke built his orthodontic practice from scratch in the early 2000s and grew it into a multimillion-dollar enterprise in less than 10 years. He was able to retire from his private practice at the age of 46 years old, and now devotes his energy to teaching his colleagues how to succeed both personally and professionally. He also provides locum tenens coverage for colleagues in South Florida.

Dr. DeLuke has served as a faculty member at numerous hospitals and orthodontic residency programs around the country, including as the cleft craniofacial orthodontist at Albany Medical Center in New York, and as a clinical professor at The University of Connecticut in the Department of Orthodontics. He is presently an adjunct professor in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at Healthcare Network and a Visiting Professor in the Department of Orthodontics at Montefiore Einstein Hospital in the Bronx.

The DOC Podcast will bring you in-depth discussions and interviews with industry leaders and experts on a variety of topics, including clinical excellence, practice management, finance and wealth creation, health and wellness, taxes and accounting, fitness, and much more!