Shirley Gutkowski, RDH, BSDH, practiced clinical dental hygiene in and around Madison, WI from 1986 to 2003 when she focused her energy on writing and speaking. Today her practice is limited to the practice of orofacial myofunctional therapy and breathing retraining.

Shirley is the 2008 Alumna of the Year Marquette University School of Health Science in Dental Hygiene, a recipient of the Leadership Award from the World Congress of Minimally Invasive Dentistry, and the 2006 – 2007 President of the Wisconsin Dental Hygienists Association. Although her new focus on orofacial myofunctional therapy is her full time endeavor, in 2019 she helped create and is one of the first dental hygienists to receive the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology certification for dental hygienists.

After taking her initial introductory courses in orofacial myofunctional therapy from the Academy of Myofunctional Therapy in 2014 and 2015 with Joy Moeller, RDH; Soroush Zaghi, MD; Patrick McKeown, Sharon Keenan, MD; Kevin Boyd, DDS; and others, Shirley found a new passion. In 2017 she studied under Lois Lanee and in 2019 she studied under Kimberly Benkert to continue a quest to explore the depths of OMT.

In 2016 Shirley, with her son Phillip, started Primal Air, LLC treating patients in person and remotely.

As an extension of Primal Air, she also teaches dental and chiropractic practice owners to identify orofacial myofunctional disorders and treat simple cases. Shirley mentors new OMT graduates into competent confident therapists. Gutkowski’s drive for prevention and teaching is how she raises awareness for more clinicians to prevent continued downward health spirals in their patients with craniofacial dystrophies.

She is the author of “More than a Kissing Spot: Your New Baby’s Face”, for soon to be parents where true prevention starts.

Shirley resides in Sun Prairie, WI, is married to her husband Mark and is the mother of five sons and grandma to three perfect children.