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About The Face Place

Supporting children’s oral health, oral function and early dental development with a whole-child approach.

Oral health therapist Mel Van Schelven from The Face Place sitting in a bright home clinic, smiling with a puppet and children’s dental teaching toys, supporting families with children’s oral health and function.

Hi, I'm Mel.

I help parents understand what’s really going on in their child’s mouth.

Not just the teeth, but the way they breathe, eat and sleep.

I started The Face Place to support families who were told to “wait and see” yet knew something wasn’t quite right. Because when you understand how the mouth works, you can make small, practical changes that make a big difference to your child’s comfort, health and development.

Every day I help parents make sense of the questions that usually lead to late-night Googling...

Why does my child breathe through their mouth?
Why are their teeth crowded?
Why do they struggle with brushing or eating certain foods?

The Face Place focuses on early intervention for children’s dental health and oral function.

Melanie Van Schelven – BOralHlth (CQU)

Registered Dental Practitioner with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)

Oral health therapist Mel Van Schelven from The Face Place sitting by a sunny window, demonstrating a breathing exercise with a balloon to support children’s oral function and development.

Mel is an Oral Health Therapist and Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist, and the founder of The Face Place.

My journey into children's dental care started in 2011 when I worked as a dental assistant. I noticed patterns no one was really talking about. Some kids brushed twice a day yet still had irritated gums. Others were snoring, grinding their teeth at night and waking up tired.

I wanted to understand why.

That curiosity led me to study a Bachelor of Oral Health and further training in Orofacial Myology. There I discovered how breathing, sleep, posture, diet, and chewing all formed part of a child’s oral health and dental development.

Today, I combine clinical knowledge with family-centred, practical education to help parents take informed steps toward better dental health, oral function and overall wellbeing.

Oral health therapist Mel Van Schelven from The Face Place enjoying a picnic with her family, reflecting her family-centred approach to children’s dental health and wellbeing.

A little about me

I live in a small rural town in the Whitsundays, where the bush meets the beach.

I'm a British crime drama superfan.

I always eat my favourite thing on my plate last.

I'm a wife to a shift-worker and mother to a toddler (which means I understand that time is precious and advice needs to be practical).

WORK WITH MEL
Certification badges for The Face Place, including Holistic Kids Provider, Munchee U Certified, and Spot Life Neurodiversity Affirming, reflecting Mel Van Schelven’s commitment to holistic and inclusive children’s oral health care.

Professional Registrations + Memberships

Mel Van Schelven is a registered Oral Health Therapist and an active member of leading professional associations in children’s dental health and oral function. These registrations reflect The Face Place’s commitment to evidence-based, ethical, and family-centred care.

  • Registered Dental Practitioner (Oral Health Therapist) with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)

  • Oral Health Association of Australia

  • Australian Association of Orofacial Myology

  • Australasian Society for Tethered Oral Tissues

  • Myo Munchee Certified Practitioner

  • MINDD Foundation Practitioner

  • Holistic Kids Member

  • Spot Life Neurodiversity Affirming Provider

Professional Development

Mel regularly undertakes continuing professional development in oral function, orofacial myofunctional therapy, airway health, and early intervention dental care. This ensures every family receives support grounded in current research and best practice.

Here’s what Mel has been studying recently:

2025:

  • Myo Munchee Bebe Protocols

  • Biome Dental Probiotics Webinar

  • Spot Life Neurodiversity Affirming Training

  • Dr Sophie Brock: The Missing Piece in Mother Care

2024:

  • Australian Orofacial Myology Collaboration Orofacial Myology 28 Hour Foundation Course

2023:

  • Myo Munchee Practitioner Certification

  • Intro to Postural Orthodontics: A New Evidence-Based Approach to Early Intervention Orthodontics

2022:

  • Australasian Society for Tongue and Lip Ties: Reconnect, Rediscover, Resolve Symposium

2021:

  • The MINDD Foundation Practitioner Training

  • American Association of Craniofacial Pain (Australian Chapter) 10th Symposium: Growth, Sleep and Pain

  • The Tongue Tie Institute Foundation Course

  • The Tongue Tie Institute Advanced Course: Children and Adults

  • The Thumbsucking Clinic Smiley Little Faces: Treating 0-4 Yrs for Dental Professionals

2020:

  • Australasian Society for Tongue and Lip Ties & Australian Association of Orofacial Myology Perfect Motion Symposium

  • Centre for Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy Breathe, Feed, Eat and Sleep

  • OM Health Tongue Tie Today

2019:

  • OM Health Advanced Principles of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy for the Sleep Disordered Breathing Patient

  • Australian Academy of Orofacial Myology 4-Day Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy Introductory Course

  • International Symposium on Dental Hygiene

Media + Speaking

Mel is passionate about making children’s oral health and oral function easy for families to understand. She regularly speaks to parents, educators and health professionals about mouth breathing, oral development, and early dental care, helping families feel informed and confident in their child’s oral health journey.

Ready to make sense of your child’s breathing, tooth decay, or dental development?

WORK WITH MELBROWSE RESOURCES