OLATHE, KS, March 06, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Ashley C. Ryan has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Ms. Ryan has built a distinguished career in dental hygiene and orofacial myofunctional therapy, with more than a decade of experience and a strong commitment to holistic, airway-focused patient care. She is the founder and orofacial myofunctional therapist at Ashley Ryan Myology & Wellness LLC, where she provides specialized therapy for the oral, facial and neck muscles. Her practice focuses on conditions such as sleep-disordered breathing, mouth breathing, jaw pain, gag reflex issues, tongue-tie, pediatric airway concerns and oral habits including thumb sucking. In this capacity, she has demonstrated expertise in airway-focused and holistic dentistry, reflecting her dedication to comprehensive patient wellness.

In addition to her private practice, Ms. Ryan works part time as a registered dental hygienist in a holistic dental office in Leawood, Kansas, where she integrates airway-centered and preventive dental care. Her combined roles allow her to support patients through both dental hygiene services and functional therapy aimed at improving breathing, sleep and overall oral health.

Ms. Ryan also spent eight years teaching dental hygiene students at the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Dentistry, serving in both adjunct clinical assistant professor and clinical assistant professor roles from 2016 to 2024. During her tenure, she mentored dental hygiene students in clinical settings, sharing her passion for the profession and contributing to the development of future practitioners. Teaching has been one of the most rewarding aspects of her career, and she is recognized for her impact on students' professional growth.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Ryan practiced as a registered dental hygienist at a dental office in Overland Park, Kansas, and began her journey in dentistry as a dental office assistant.

Prior to entering the dental profession, Ms. Ryan served as an administration specialist in the United States Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton, California, from 2008 to 2012. Her four years of active duty instilled values of perseverance, hard work and dedication—qualities that have shaped her approach to both patient care and professional advancement. Following her military service, she utilized the GI Bill to attend dental hygiene school, graduating debt-free.

Her educational background includes earning a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2016. Ms. Ryan holds numerous certifications that support her clinical expertise: CPR and basic life support certification from the American Heart Association Inc., MYO Munchee Practitioner Certificate from MYO Munchee, Tongue-Tied Academy Certificate from Tongue-Tied Academy, OA® Functional Breathing Instructor Certificate from The Oxygen Advantage®, The Myo Method Certificate from The Myo Method®, MyoMentor Certificate from MyoMentor as well as nitrous oxide and local anesthetic certifications from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Additionally, she completed coursework in motivational interviewing at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2014 and maintains an active dental hygiene license in the states of Kansas and Missouri.

Beyond her professional responsibilities, Ms. Ryan is deeply involved in civic initiatives throughout Kansas City. Since 2016 she has supported Ronald McDonald House Kansas City and served as a clinician for Give Kids a Smile. She has volunteered with Team Smile since 2015 and contributed to Harvesters Community Food Network during that same period. In 2019 she was an educational volunteer with Swope Health Services and has supported Operation Breakthrough as both donor and advocate since 2015.

Ms. Ryan's excellence in teaching has been recognized through several awards: Distinguished Teacher by the Class of 2020 at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry; Junior Clinical Faculty of the Year by the Dental Hygiene Class of 2021; Senior Clinical Faculty of the Year by the Dental Hygiene Class of 2020; Junior Clinical Faculty of the Year by the Dental Hygiene Class of 2020; Colgate Company Student Total Achievement Recognition Award; Dental Hygiene Class President Award of Appreciation; and notably, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal awarded by the General of First Marine Division in 2011 along with earning a meritorious promotion to E-4.

Ms. Ryan's contributions extend to professional education as well; she delivered a continuing education lecture on myofunctional therapy for Clinicians Platform in 2025. She credits her success to the discipline and values acquired during her military service as well as her passion for continuous learning within her field.

Outside of her professional commitments, Ms. Ryan enjoys an active personal life centered around family activities that include playing soccer with her three daughters, swimming, bike riding, hiking, exercising and watching movies. Looking ahead, she aims to expand her private practice into a full-time endeavor with a dedicated physical location for myofunctional therapy services. She is committed to raising awareness about myofunctional therapy among health care professionals and within her community while advocating for regulation within the field. Additionally, she plans to share her expertise through speaking engagements at conferences such as the Midwest Dental Conference.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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