Stephen Deal, DDS.
Double board-certified in craniofacial pain and dental sleep medicine. Developer of the ControlledArch orthodontic protocol. Senior Instructor for the International Association for Orthodontics. Practicing since 2003 — no associates, every evaluation with Dr. Deal directly.
Dr. Deal’s practice is organized around a single conviction: that recognizing how the airway shapes facial growth, sleep, and orofacial pain changes everything about how we should be evaluating and treating patients. The ControlledArch protocol, developed in his operatory over two decades, translates that conviction into the operatory.
Diplomate, American Board of Craniofacial Pain (DABCP) — currently the board’s President-Elect. Diplomate, American Board of Sleep and Breathing (DABSB). Fellow, International Association for Orthodontics (FIAO) and Senior Instructor for the IAO. Fellow, American Orthodontic Society (FAOS). Fellow, Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD).
Dr. Deal teaches the ControlledArch protocol and the airway-aware paradigm nationally through Real Deal Seminars — PACE/AGD-accredited continuing education for dentists, orthodontists, and dental sleep medicine clinicians. Three free intros, one online prereq, four live cohort courses (Pediatric, Ortho/ControlledArch, TMD, Sleep).
The paradigm and the literature behind it live at airwayfacialgrowth.ai — long-form articles for parents and clinicians, with the same citation list the seminars teach from.
Runs the practice end to end — scheduling, coordination, and the details that keep every treatment plan moving between visits.
Chairside with Dr. Deal through evaluations, records, and treatment visits.
Assists across the operatories — appliances, imaging, and the patient's comfort in the chair.
The first call for referring providers and partner practices working with Symmetry.
Voted 2024 Best of the Best and Faulkner County 1st Place by the communities the practice has served since 2003.