Tongue-Tie Care for Dothan and Wiregrass Families

Why Wiregrass families make the trip

Plenty of families travel even farther than you will. We see children from all over Alabama, from other states, and from other countries. Dr. Baxter wrote the book Tongue-Tied, and through Tongue-Tied Academy he teaches other doctors and providers how to assess and treat tongue and lip ties. Dr. Trego, like Dr. Baxter, is a pediatric dentist.

Driving three and a half hours for care in a specialized area is a reasonable choice. You’ll have the consult, exam, and treatment (if your child needs it) at a single visit. A week later, you email us photos and we tell you how healing looks.

Maybe another provider looked and said nothing was there, or that it was mild. A tie doesn’t have to look dramatic to cause trouble with feeding, speech, sleep, or other symptoms. We look at function, meaning how the tongue and lip actually move, and that’s often where a missed tie shows up. If you’re unsure, a free pre-screen costs nothing.

Is the drive from Dothan worth it?

• The drive: about 3.5 to 4 hours (about 180 miles) to 2480 Pelham Pkwy, Pelham, AL 35124.
• One visit: consult, exam, and treatment if it’s needed, all the same day.
• Follow-up made easier: families traveling a long distance can do the one-week follow-up by email. Send us photos of the treated areas and we’ll review them and advise you.

Before you plan the drive, consider our free pre-screen. Email photos of your child’s tongue and lip and the symptom sheet, and we’ll tell you honestly whether we think a visit makes sense.

How a same-day visit works

• Call or send a message. Call 205-419-4333 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) or use our contact page to schedule. You don’t need a referral.
• Not sure it’s worth the drive? Start with a free pre-screen. Email us photos of your child’s tongue and lip and our symptom sheet, and we’ll tell you whether a visit makes sense.
• The consult. You’ll meet with Dr. Baxter or Dr. Trego. We go over your child’s history and your feeding, sleep, and comfort concerns, and we typically spend 30 minutes or more just talking with you.
• The exam. We check the lip, tongue, and cheeks for restrictions and look at how the tongue moves. If we find a restriction, we take photos with a small camera so you can see it too. Then we recommend the most appropriate care, never more and never less.
• Treatment at the same visit, if it’s needed. If a release will help, we can usually do it the same day, so you only make one trip. It takes about 10 to 15 seconds per area, with no sedation or general anesthesia, just numbing jelly or sugar water.
• Before you head home. Babies can nurse right afterward, and a weighted feed is available. Older kids get a popsicle and can go play on our playground.

Want more detail? See how the procedure works.

Planning the drive from Dothan

• The usual route is US-231 north to Montgomery, then I-65 North to Pelham.
• Montgomery is roughly the halfway point, which makes it a natural place to stop and feed.
• Our office is on Pelham Parkway, a few minutes off I-65. Ask for an appointment time that gives you room for the drive.

Our hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

What to bring

• The completed symptom sheet (for babies, our infant symptom sheet (PDF)) or your quiz results
• For babies under 6 months: the vitamin K shot (not oral drops) must have been given at least 12 hours before the procedure. Bring the record if you have it, and call us first if your baby had drops
• A list of any medicines your child takes
• Names of your pediatrician and lactation consultant or therapist, if you have them
• Your health insurance information, so you can file the claim form we give you
• Your payment method, or your Cherry or CareCredit approval (apply before your visit)
• For babies: extra diapers, a change of clothes, and your bottle or pump if you use one
• For older kids: a favorite comfort item and a snack for the drive home

After you go home

• Improvement isn’t always instant. Your child’s tongue has to learn a new way of moving, and there may even be a little regression in sucking for a day or two. That’s normal.
• Before you leave, we’ll go over aftercare and the exercises we recommend. Our aftercare videos are also on our website if you want a refresher at home.
• We follow up one week after the procedure. Families traveling a long distance can do the one-week follow-up by email: send us a photo of the treated areas and of the tongue or lip, and we’ll review it and let you know how things look. No need to make the drive again.
• Follow-up exams are at no charge, and if a restriction grows back within 12 months, we fix it at no charge.
• Ongoing support close to home can help, and we can help you find local lactation and feeding support.
• Questions after you get home? Call us at 205-419-4333. If you’re ever worried about your baby’s weight, feeding, or wet diapers, call your pediatrician right away.

What it costs

Consult $175. Release of each treated area (tongue, lip, or cheek) $500, and we charge for a maximum of two areas. A tongue and lip visit totals $1,175, and tongue only is $675. Follow-up exams are at no charge. We’re out-of-network and self-pay, and we give you a detailed claim form to send to your insurance for possible reimbursement. A $50 deposit holds your consult time and goes toward the $175 consult fee. It’s non-refundable if you cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice or miss the appointment. See fees and what’s included.

Questions from Dothan families

Ready when you are

Call us at 205-419-4333 or send us a message to schedule. If you’d like an opinion before you make the drive from Dothan, start with a free pre-screen.