Committee On Interprofessional Research, Education, And Ankyloglossia Science

CIREAS

Committee On Interprofessional Research, Education, And Ankyloglossia Science

CIREAS

Committee On Interprofessional Research, Education, And Ankyloglossia Science

CIREAS

Our Logo

CIREAS logo

At the center of the CIREAS logo is the ICAP logo, just as the mission and vision statements of this committee are to support and provide a scientific foundation or base for ICAP. The ICAP Logo symbolizes solidarity and harmony along with unity and culture in diversity. Orange represents energetic vibrancy and highlights the significance of our multidisciplinary approach to caring for our patients. Green represents compassion, kindness and nurturing qualities. Blue represents stability, harmony, responsibility and trust.

The colors of the rings surrounding the ICAP logo are gray, symbolizing that research is not always black and white, but instead filled with gray areas that require interpretation of clinicians and researchers alike. The color is monotone, because evidence is objective or of one meaning that has yet to be discovered. The gray color is in contrast to the colorful logo indicating that CIREAS and ICAP work together in complementary and supportive ways.

The gray rings symbolize our research progress and evidence-based support for ankyloglossia research. While some areas are complete and supported by research (and thereby have the support of all concentric circles), others areas are incomplete or require more study (and are symbolized by only partial support of the concentric circles).

Our Values

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

There is strength in numbers and diversity. We aim to develop and sustain impactful partnerships with diverse stakeholder communities. We seek to establish truth, seek and incorporate input, and foster inclusiveness with these communities in order to work together toward commonly identified and prioritized goals.

OPEN, TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATION AND TRUST

Develop open and effective communication and collegiality through mutual development of goals, policies and action plans with the stakeholders from all disciplines of care. Embrace differences in interpretation and seek to resolve differences through constructive scientific discourse and sound, collaborative cooperation and investigation.

INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATION

Sponsor and facilitate research projects based on mutual respect, stakeholder inclusivity and evidence for everyday care, centered on practitioners and their patients.

HONOR COMMUNITY AND ACADEMIC PRIORITIES, PERSPECTIVES AND STRENGTHS

Use appropriate cultural and linguistic context of defined communities to disseminate research concepts/methods/results to community partners/stakeholders.

CONTINUOUS LEARNING

Utilize quality improvement and evaluation methods.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to instill scientific rigor and integrity into ankyloglossia research, clinical practice, and education via interdisciplinary collaboration of ankyloglossia professionals. Our mission statement is complementary to the mission statement of ICAP.

Vision Statement

Our vision is to promote science and data-driven evidence to aid in the promotion of best practices for the assessment, diagnosis and integrative treatment of restricted oral tissues and to make this knowledge available worldwide. Our vision statement is complementary to the vision of ICAP.

Meet your CIREAS Co-Chairs

Raymond J Tseng DDS PhD

Raymond J. Tseng, DDS, PhD

Pediatric Dentist, NC Tongue Tie Center, Cary, NC, USA
Adjunct Faculty, Dept. of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

Dr. Ray Tseng completed his DDS/PhD training at The Ohio State University, and a four-year residency/fellowship in pediatric dentistry and nutrition at the University of North Carolina Hospitals and School of Dentistry. He has been an NIH-supported clinician scientist trainee during most of his graduate career. His research interests have included the impact of stress on immune function, childhood obesity, and most recently, ankyloglossia research in infants and early childhood. Dr. Tseng has been a pediatric dentist for 12 years, and is the owner and clinician scientist at the NC Tongue Tie Center in Cary, NC, USA.

Sharon Smart, SLP, PhD, PGCertHE, CPSP, FHEA

Sharon Smart, SLP, PhD, PGCertHE, CPSP, FHEA

Lecturer, School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia

Dr. Sharon Smart is a speech pathologist and lecturer in the Curtin School of Allied Health at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia. She has worked as a speech pathologist in paediatric feeding and swallowing disorders for over 20 years. Her research interests include ankyloglossia, paediatric feeding disorders and speech sound disorders.

headshot of Rebecca R. Hill, PhD, DNP, FNP-C, FAAN

Rebecca R. Hill, PhD, DNP, FNP-C, FAAN

Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Associate Professor
MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA.

Dr. Rebecca Hill is a nurse researcher. Her research addresses assessment, screening, and potential treatment for ankyloglossia and its impact on breastfeeding. She has created rigorous clinical research with interdisciplinary collaborations that connect medicine, nursing, dentistry, and other practice areas engaged in the assessment and treatment of feeding difficulties and maternal-infant health. The importance and ongoing impact of this work was recently highlighted by Gerber Foundation funding to support this research; she is only the second nurse to receive funding from this foundation. She enjoys mentoring students in research and making new connections with those passionate about tethered oral tissues.