Breathing and Beauty: The 4th SARC Sleep Workshop in Singapore

May 27

Conversations about sleep and facial esthetic surgery typically happen in different rooms, and almost always among different specialties. In 2019, we convened surgeons of different specialties at the first Sleep Workshop of the Singapore Sleep, Allergy and Rhinology Conference (SARC) to treat sleep apnea together. It remains one of the most memorable gatherings of sleep surgeons at the time.

For 2026, we are pursuing another integration. This time, we are integrating breathing and beauty. I am honored to serve as Workshop Director alongside Drs. Leong Jern-Lin, David Chin, and Jessie Chi.

Innovation by Integration

Nasal function, maxillofacial development, and facial and pharyngeal muscle movements are integrated determinants of how we breathe and appear. Advancing sleep breathing and facial esthetic care requires active engagement from sleep medicine, facial plastic surgery, otolaryngology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, myofunctional therapy, and functional dentistry.

Day 1: Fast-Paced Symposia in Parallel

One track focuses on functional and esthetic surgery. The morning opens with contemporary rhinoplasty. We address the Asian patient, the endonasal approach, and pediatric nasal surgery. Hypoglossal nerve stimulation follows. We look at how it has been adopted across Asia. Orthognathic surgery comes next. We examine its influence on airway physiology and esthetic outcome. The morning closes with the role of the mandible in maxillary expansion.

The afternoon brings a mini-debate on segmental MMA versus staged maxillary expansion followed by MMA. A session on minimally invasive orthognathic surgery (MIOS) follows. The track closes with a K-Pop inspired session on MMA and digital smile design from Seoul.

The morning of the second track focuses on outpatient sleep and cosmetic practices. Sessions include the evolution from DOME to DOMEzero, posterior nasal nerve intervention, snoreplasty, myofunctional health, and smile design that supports breathing. This track recognizes that the future of sleep breathing care happens before the operating room. It lives in clinics that integrate structural, esthetic, behavioral, and digital care into a cohesive model.

The afternoon brings a session I have been wanting to convene for years. From five countries, pairs of otolaryngologist and sleep dentist will present together. The integrated ecosystem required to deliver this work is still being built, and we want to learn from each other.

The day closes with a roundtable on where the field goes next, anchored by faculty of different specialties and experience.

Day 2: Cadaver Workshop at Changi General Hospital

At the Center for Advanced Clinical and Surgical Skills in Changi General Hospital, faculty will lead participants through more than eight cadaver operations grouped into four sections. Functional rhinoplasty will cover endonasal and open approaches. Maxillary expansion with DOME will cover endoscopic, minimally-invasive, and open approaches. Hypoglossal nerve stimulation will cover the Inspire approach. Skeletal surgery will include minimally invasive orthognathic surgery (MIOS), segmental MMA, and craniofacial distraction.

A Global Faculty, Anchored in Asia

The faculty for SARC Sleep 2026 comes from 10 countries: Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, S. Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Kuwait, Vietnam, and the United States. The full faculty roster will be introduced on the blog shortly.

Where Breathing and Beauty Are Restored Together

Restoring sleep breathing health is a gateway to wellness. That principle continues to guide my work, and it remains the backbone of SARC Sleep 2026. To the next generation of surgeons, dentists, and myofunctional therapists who will adopt this perspective, SARC Sleep 2026 begins with what comes next. To colleagues whose careers have already crossed paths with mine, this is where we keep building.

Here’s to the next chapter, alongside friends and colleagues whose work I have long admired.

Singapore. July 3 and 4, 2026. We start.

Stanley Y.C. Liu, MD, DDS, FACS‍ ‍Course Director, 4th SARC Sleep Workshop‍ ‍