A TikTok dentist, known for promoting unconventional ideas about orthodontics, has been removed from the dental register after disseminating ‘inappropriate and misleading’ information concerning a contentious dental practice on YouTube.
Dr. Michael Mew is the controversial figure behind the viral ‘mewing‘ trend, which has captivated millions of teenagers. This technique instructs individuals to press their tongues against the roof of their mouths, allegedly to modify their jawlines and facial structures over time.
Mew’s disbarment arose after he published a video advocating for orthotropics, a theory introduced by his father, that asserts muscle exercises and physiotherapy can resolve dental misalignments and other dental issues.
The General Dental Council (GDC) presented evidence to a professional conduct panel indicating that Mew’s guidance was detrimental, particularly to two young patients. This was exemplified by one boy who experienced troubling ‘seizure-like episodes’ following treatment.
Furthermore, the panel determined that the orthotropic treatments offered by Mew were ‘not clinically indicated’ and not aligned with the children’s best interests, resulting in his removal from the dental profession due to being deemed a ‘risk to public safety’.
Dr. Michael Mew (pictured outside the General Dental Council in 2022) was behind a TikTok ‘mewing’ craze that claims to change the shape of your jawline without surgery.
Mr. Mew now been barred from the profession after he shared a video on orthotropics, a theory developed by his father which states that misaligned bites and dental problems can be fixed by muscle exercises and physiotherapy.
Mewing has been adopted by millions of teenagers and consists of a technique that involves pressing your tongue against the roof of your mouth to change your jawline and face shape (pictured: A teacher in Los Angeles gives a mewing lesson via video).
The GDC’s case detailed how Mew used his YouTube platform, boasting around 554K subscribers, to release a video that was described as providing ‘inappropriate and misleading’ advice on orthotropics.
During the hearing, it was revealed that in the video, Mew claimed that facilitating ‘enough tongue space’ could shape facial growth and purportedly lead to an ‘expansion of the brain’.
Orthotropics, which originated from the theories of his father, John Mew, is neither recognized by the National Health Service (NHS) nor classified as a dental specialty by the GDC.
In September 2016, Mew treated Patient A, a six-year-old girl, by recommending the use of neck gear and specialized upper and lower arch expansion appliances.
The dentist asserted that these appliances would ‘create space for the tongue’, ‘enhance midface development’, and ‘alter swallowing patterns’.
According to Mew, through this realignment, all 32 teeth could ‘naturally align without the necessity of fixed braces’.
He referenced the ‘Tropic Premise’, which suggested that individuals exhibiting a range of characteristics would eventually enjoy well-aligned teeth and an aesthetically pleasing facial form.
The panel noted that Mew misled Patient A’s parents regarding the benefits of orthotropic treatments, echoing similar sentiments about the dental community’s skepticism towards his methods.
Mr. Mew also suggested that Patient A should have a lingual tongue-tie release to purportedly strengthen her jaw, which later led to complications.
A subsequent examination by an oral consultant revealed that she developed a considerable ‘open bite’ and a traumatic ulcer, which the consultant deemed unnecessary based on the previous treatment.
Notably, two years after Mew’s intervention, the open bite remained unresolved.
The panel also evaluated the case of Patient B, a two-year-old boy who began treatment with Mew. By age six, he had undergone similar orthotropic procedures including head and neck gear.
The hearings disclosed that Mew assured the boy’s parents that the aim of these devices was not to force alignment of the teeth, but to foster a natural realignment process, supposedly akin to evolutionary processes observed in mammals.
Patient B’s treatment was discontinued after just four months due to parental concerns about alleged harm related to Mew’s methods.
The father recounted troubling ‘seizure-like episodes’ following the use of the dental appliances.
Concerns about Patient A led to Mew being reported to the GDC by a consultant who felt compelled to act based on the observed outcomes.
The General Dental Council told a professional conduct panel that his advice caused ‘harm’ to two young patients, with one boy suffering ‘seizure-like episodes’ after receiving treatment (file image).
A disciplinary panel learned that both children possessed ‘normal craniofacial development’ at the time of their initial consultations with Mew.
During the hearing, Mew asserted that the GDC labeled him a ‘maverick’ and portrayed him as a ‘lone practitioner of orthotropics’.
‘The Committee has established that the Orthotropic Treatment provided to Patient A and Patient B was not clinically warranted, nor in their best interests, thereby posing a risk of harm,’ the panel stated.
‘The misleading assertions made regarding the necessity for treatment, diagnoses, and purported advantages of Orthotropic Treatment were highlighted as inappropriate and misleading on multiple occasions.’
The panel specifically mentioned the ‘involvement of vulnerable patients’ and Mew’s ‘lack of insight regarding misconduct’ during their deliberations.
In a cited YouTube video, the panel condemned Mew for implying that his techniques might even enhance a child’s intelligence, categorizing such claims as ‘inappropriate and misleading’ due to insufficient evidence.
Ultimately, all but one of the allegations proved true, prompting the panel to impose an immediate suspension, deeming Mew a ‘risk to public safety’ for offering treatments lacking an objective basis.
**Interview with Dr. Lisa Waters, Dental Ethics Expert**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Dr. Waters. We’re discussing the recent removal of Dr. Michael Mew from the dental register. What are your initial thoughts on this situation?
**Dr. Waters:** Thank you for having me. This is a significant event in the dental community. Dr. Mew’s promotion of techniques like mewing and orthotropics has certainly garnered both attention and controversy. While innovation is important in medicine, it must always be balanced with adherence to established, evidence-based practices.
**Interviewer:** Can you elaborate on the claims made by Dr. Mew regarding orthotropics and the implications they have for young patients?
**Dr. Waters:** Dr. Mew’s claims—that muscle exercises can solve dental misalignments and improve facial structure—are fundamentally problematic. The General Dental Council’s findings indicate that his methods were not clinically validated and, more importantly, posed risks to patients, including severe complications. This situation highlights the dangers of spreading unverified dental practices, especially when they target vulnerable populations like children.
**Interviewer:** The panel noted that Mew’s methods were deemed ‘not clinically indicated.’ What does this mean for the credibility of his practices?
**Dr. Waters:** Being ‘not clinically indicated’ means that the treatments proposed did not meet the standard of care recognized by dental professionals. Such practices lack scientific support and could lead to unnecessary harm. The credibility of any treatment hinges on robust clinical evidence, and when a practitioner deviates from this, they compromise patient safety and public trust.
**Interviewer:** There are many young people influenced by trends on social media, including mewing. How should parents approach such trends when it comes to their children’s health?
**Dr. Waters:** Parents should be wary of health trends promoted on platforms like TikTok or YouTube, especially when they lack scientific backing. It’s crucial for them to consult qualified healthcare professionals before pursuing any treatment for their children. Parents should prioritize evidence-based methods over viral trends that may present risks.
**Interviewer:** what message do you think this case sends to other dental professionals and social media influencers?
**Dr. Waters:** This case serves as a reminder that all healthcare providers have a responsibility to communicate safely and ethically. For dental professionals, it underscores the importance of grounding practices in scientific research. For social media influencers, it should reinforce the necessity of being careful about the information they share, as it can have real consequences for followers’ health and well-being.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Dr. Waters, for your insights on this critical issue.
**Dr. Waters:** Thank you for having me. It’s imperative we continue to advocate for ethical practices in healthcare.