Infant Feeding Solutions
Tongue-Tie Clinic
Because of Dr. Holman’s passion for helping mothers and infants with breastfeeding issues, she has brought together a highly qualified team of professionals. In addition to her oral health expertise, we have a lactation consultant and an infant bodyworker/massage therapist to diagnose and provide solutions. We prioritize comprehensive care and in-depth diagnostics before treatment. All appointments are one-on-one with our practitioners and your privacy is respected.
Helping Infants
An infant’s struggle with breastfeeding can often be solved by a lactation consultant or bodyworker helping with posture and latching. However, there are cases when a baby’s lip or tongue are tethered in a way that makes nursing painful or ineffective. In these instances, a release (Frenectomy) of their lip or tongue attachment (frenum) may be necessary. We’re able to solve this problem in under 10 seconds and your baby will be soft-swaddled and held for the short duration of the procedure.
Helping Mothers
A frenectomy can help relieve the pain of breastfeeding and regain healthy nipples and breasts, stimulate milk production by adequate stimulation, encourage bonding with her baby, and ensure adequate feeding and growth of the baby. Led by Dr. Holman, our team of experienced professionals guide, support, and help mothers find the right care plan for their family.
Laser Treatment
All frenectomy procedures are completed using the precision LightScalpel CO2 laser. This laser does not emit heat or water and cauterizes as it works. As a result, there is minimal trauma, bleeding, and scar tissue. The dentist will lift the tongue or lip and use the laser to remove the frenulum (tie). The actual procedure is completed in seconds and it is your choice if you would like to be in the room during treatment. Most babies are immediately comforted afterwards by their parents and by sucking. The lactation consultant and LMBT will then step in to assist and evaluate the new latch/posture.
Meet Our Team
Shaina Holman, DDS, PhD
As a mom of three breastfed children as well as a highly-trained oral health and breastfeeding clinician, Dr. Holman felt uniquely positioned to help other moms in the community experience the joys of breastfeeding. She understands the frustration and pressure surrounded by breastfeeding in society and is dedicated to supporting mothers on their breastfeeding journey while providing them with the assistance they need. While completing her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Anthropology and Anatomy at Duke University, she wrote her honors thesis on the links between dental anatomy, feeding function, and diet. She went on to write her post-graduate dissertation on the role of oral sensory information during infant suckling while completing her D.D.S. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Maryland. She has published over a dozen peer reviewed papers in top journals related to dysphagia and suckling physiology.
Dr. Holman’s Education in Airway/Tongue Ties/Myofunctional Therapy
- 2020 UNC Dental Sleep Medicine Mini-Residency
- Frenectomies & Beyond: A Modern Approach to Laser Education that Challenges Traditional Methods Addressing Ankyloglossia and Tethered Oral Tissues, with Karen Wuertz, DDS, COM
- Tethered Oral Tissues Specialty Training, with Autumn Henning, MS, CCC-SLP, QOM, DABLS
- Orofacial Myology: From Basics to Habituation, with Sandra Hotzman, MS, CCC-SLP, COM, QOM
- Functional Sleep and Breathing/Frenuloplasty, with Dr. Soroush Zaghi
- Sleep Apnea 101- Implementation, with Dr. Erin Elliott
Emily Moody, RN, BSN, IBCLC
Emily is a registered nurse and lactation consultant. After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing, she has found over the years that her greatest joys professionally are found in empowering and supporting women through their unique pregnancy and infant feeding journeys. She values the opportunity to provide lactation guidance and support that is both goal-driven and holistically sustainable. She has worked in maternal-child health for over 8 years in a variety of settings including the inpatient settings of labor and delivery, mother/baby, and NICU and in an out-of-hospital setting at the Women's Birth and Wellness Center as a labor and home visit nurse providing nursing and lactation support. She is currently an in-patient nurse at UNC Health where she works a flexible assignment in medical, surgical, women's and/or NICU in-patient settings. She lives in Durham with her husband and two children.
Wanda Sundermann, LMBT, ICCE, ICD
Wanda Sundermann LMBT, ICCE, ICD is a licensed massage therapist with additional training in Craniosacral therapy, specializing in Craniosacral therapy for infants. Wanda has worked for over thirty years with new mothers and babies as a doula, childbirth educator, and bodyworker.
Jonny groger, lmbt
Jonny Groger, LMBT is a licensed massage & bodywork therapist with additional training in functional bowen specific to tongue tie and pediatrics. Jonny has worked for over ten years as a bodyworker in an array of medical, therapeutic, and sports-related settings. When they're not massaging, Jonny enjoys writing songs, lifting weights, and working on jigsaw puzzles.
Hannah Edens, RDN, MPH
Hannah has been a lactation consultant for over 10 years at UNC, working both inpatient and outpatient. She began working with Dr. Holman after the birth of her third tongue-tied baby in the fall of 2021. She is also a Registered Dietitian and obtained a Master’s of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health from UNC Chapel Hill. She will begin work with the state WIC program this fall as the lead Regional Lactation Trainer, while continuing to provide outpatient lactation support in our office. She is a NC native, and her family owns a small farm in northern Orange County where they raise chickens & hogs.
Clinic Information
Our clinic is run on Mondays or as needed. We can file claims to either your medical or dental insurance with all the proper information required. For questions about the clinic, billing and scheduling please call us during business hours. Patients must be under the age of 1 and must have a vitamin K shot. It is preferred that patients are referred after working with a lactation consultant and/or body worker first. Please fill out paperwork prior to your appointment to ensure it runs as smoothly as possible.
When you arrive, you will be evaluated by the feeding specialist (IBCLC) and massage therapist (LMBT) who will give some recommendations to the dentist on your current situation. The IBCLC will then assess your baby’s mouth, discuss your feeding journey, and evaluate your breasts if needed. Your baby will also receive gentle and safe treatment from a licensed massage therapist (LMBT) who’s specialized in working with newborns to relieve any body tension that may be contributing to feeding issues. The dentist will provide a diagnosis and if we feel that releasing an oral tie is the right path forward, we will discuss treatment. The procedure may or may not be done same-day depending on your specific needs and the provider’s assessment.
- Your baby, ideally a little hungry. If you are able to feed them 1-2 hours prior to your appointment, that’d be great! If your little one gets hungry beforehand, don’t stress! Feel free to feed them.
- If you are nursing, please dress in clothes you feel comfortable nursing in.
- A pacifier and/or nipple shield, if using.
- A bottle of breastmilk/formula if your baby is primarily bottle-fed or supplementing.
we can't wait to meet you
We invite you to experience Holman Family Dental Care. Call today or click below to set up your first visit.
(919) 932-7811
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