Health Care Providers:
Whether you are a dentist, physician or other healthcare provider, the diagnosis, treatment, and referral process for patients with sleep disturbances can be challenging.
Many wellness or problem-focused appointments with a healthcare provider leave little time to help patients take action with sleep-related problems such as poor sleep hygiene, insomnia symptoms, snoring or restless sleep.
Often patients with insomnia symptoms may be prescribed sleep aides without a full sleep evaluation. At other times, adults who show symptoms of depression or children with symptoms of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) may be inadequately or wrongly treated without a thorough evaluation of their sleep.
It has been well researched and known by sleep experts that sleep breathing disorders such as snoring or obstructive sleep apnea should no longer be suspect only with middle–aged, thick-necked, heavier individuals. Kids, petite and thin women, and individuals of average weight can have apnea symptoms and eventually diagnosed with a sleep breathing disorder.
To find a qualified dental provider of oral appliance therapy in your area visit American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine.
Scholarly articles that may be of interest to you include:
- Clinical Practice Guideline for Diagnostic Testing for Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline 2017
- Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Snoring with Oral Appliance Therapy: An Update for 2015
- The use of oral appliances in obstructive sleep apnea: a retrospective cohort study spanning 14 years of private practice experience
- Efficacy versus Effectiveness in the treatment of Oral Appliance Therapy and CPAP
- Prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in the General Population: A Systematic Review, Aug 2017
- The Epidemiology of Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- ASM and AADSM issue new joint clinical practice guideline for oral appliance therapy
- The role of home sleep testing for evaluation of patients with excessive daytime sleepiness: focus on obstructive sleep apnea and narcolepsy
For Dentists
If you are a dentist that is currently treating snoring and apnea patients, I encourage you to share the articles and success cases of this website to your family of patients through newsletters or social media channels. Together we can tackle the great need that currently exists in getting snoring and sleep apnea patients to treatment and better health.
The American Dental Association now recommends all dentists screen for sleep breathing disorders. See our downloadable Supplemental Health Screening Questionnaire. This form provides an easy way for dental teams to start the conversation on snoring and associated symptoms.
The American Dental Association now recommends all dentists screen for sleep breathing disorders. See our downloadable Supplemental Health Screening Questionnaire. This form provides an easy way for dental teams to start the conversation on snoring and associated symptoms.
If you are a dentist interested in learning more about dental sleep medicine, browse through this website for some basic knowledge of airway breathing disorders and symptoms. Whether you are interested in screening for or treating sleep airway disorders, I encourage you to start your knowledge with a non-profit organization such as the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine.