The Pediatric Academy launches in Dubai to advance children’s healthcare education globally

UAE— Dubai has welcomed the launch of The Pediatric Academy, a new international education institution established to improve collaboration among healthcare professionals while giving parents easier access to reliable, evidence-based information about children’s health and development.

Founded by pediatric dentist, author and international speaker Dr. Rafif Tayara, the Academy focuses on promoting a multidisciplinary approach to children’s healthcare.

Its educational programs cover pediatric dentistry, airway health, sleep-disordered breathing, oral function, early facial growth, interceptive orthodontics and myofunctional therapy.

The institution combines a global online learning platform with hands-on professional training delivered at its education center on Jumeira Street in Dubai.

Promoting multidisciplinary pediatric care

The Academy’s first programs address an area of pediatric healthcare that increasingly demands cooperation among different medical specialties.

Conditions affecting breathing, sleep, oral habits, tongue function and facial growth often influence one another, yet healthcare providers frequently assess them independently.

“Children do not experience their health in isolated specialties,” Dr. Tayara said.

“A child who breathes through the mouth, sleeps poorly or develops an abnormal oral habit may present different signs to a dentist, pediatrician, ENT specialist, speech therapist or parent. The Pediatric Academy was created to help connect those observations and encourage earlier, better-informed collaboration.”

To support this goal, the Academy offers online courses, in-person workshops, live educational events, clinical resources and professional mentorship. Its programs target pediatric dentists, general dentists, orthodontists, pediatricians, ENT specialists, dental hygienists, speech and feeding therapists, myofunctional therapists and other professionals involved in children’s health.

The Dubai training center will host workshops, professional meetings and multidisciplinary learning sessions, while the online platform enables participants worldwide to study remotely at their own pace. Selected courses will also offer continuing education credits, with accreditation details provided for each eligible program.

Resources designed for parents

Alongside professional education, The Pediatric Academy provides parents and caregivers with practical resources explaining topics such as mouth breathing, snoring, sleep quality, oral habits, early dental development and signs that may require evaluation by a qualified healthcare professional.

“Our objective is not to encourage parents to diagnose their children,” Dr. Tayara said.

“It is to help them recognize when something may deserve attention, ask better questions and find the right professional support.”

The Academy’s educational materials are available in English, Arabic, French and Dutch, reflecting its commitment to serving families and healthcare professionals across different regions.

Dubai as a global education hub

The Pediatric Academy is headquartered in Dubai and operates a European branch in Hilversum, the Netherlands.

According to Dr. Tayara, Dubai’s international population and growing role as a healthcare hub made it the ideal location for the institution.

“Dubai brings together families, clinicians and educators from an extraordinary range of backgrounds,” she said.

“It gives us the opportunity to build an institution in the Middle East that is global from its foundation—not only in where its participants come from, but also in how different cultures, disciplines and healthcare perspectives are represented.”

By combining its Dubai training center, European branch and digital learning platform, the Academy aims to connect healthcare professionals and families across geographical boundaries while encouraging knowledge exchange.

Leadership backed by international experience

Dr. Tayara brings nearly two decades of experience in pediatric dentistry, having trained and practiced across North America, the Middle East and the Gulf region.

She studied at Saint-Joseph University in Beirut and the University of Montreal before completing additional training in dental sleep medicine at Tufts University.

She also co-founded Dubai’s pediatric dental clinic JuniorDental, has delivered international lectures on airway development, early orthodontics and minimally invasive pediatric dentistry, and received the 2025 Best Pediatric Dentist Award from Mother, Baby & Child magazine.

In addition, she authored Danny and Sarah Go to Dr. Smile, a children’s book created to reduce anxiety surrounding early dental visits.