The Dental Professional's Role in the Evaluation, Diagnosis and Treatment of Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Millions of people have problems with snoring and sleep apnea, and the treatment of these conditions using oral appliances has exploded in the past few years. As more and more patients are diagnosed with sleep apnea and with the high rate of patient non-compliance on Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), oral appliance therapy will become an extremely popular treatment option. Dentists are not only uniquely qualified to provide the necessary dental treatment for this life-threatening disorder, but are also uniquely positioned to screen and refer their own patients for sleep apnea diagnosis.

The lecture portion includes the basics of normal sleep patterns, snoring and sleep apnea in adults and in children, and the dental professional's role in screening, referral and treatment of snoring and sleep apnea using oral appliance alone and in conjunction with CPAP as part of a multi-disciplinary approach. Unlike many manufacturer-based lectures, Dr. Spencer will review several of the most popular oral appliances and discuss the pros and cons of each.