Integrating Screening for Sleep Apnea into Your Dental Practice-Screening for Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video presentation, Dr. Jeff Horowitz discusses the importance of screening for sleep-related breathing disorders, such as sleep apnea. He is joined by Dr. Christopher Hart, a fellow diplomat with the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine. They discuss the reasons why dentists should be involved in screening for these disorders and how to do it effectively.<br /><br />Dr. Horowitz emphasizes the high prevalence and significant impact of sleep-related breathing disorders on overall health. He explains the limitations of the current medical model in diagnosing and treating these conditions, highlighting the need for collaboration between dentists and the medical community. He discusses the etiology, prevalence, risks, and comorbidities associated with sleep-related breathing disorders.<br /><br />Dr. Horowitz encourages dentists to ask simple screening questions about snoring and daytime sleepiness during patient exams. He also discusses additional screening tools and techniques that dentists can use, such as looking for signs of acid reflux and using cone beam scans to assess airway health.<br /><br />Dr. Horowitz emphasizes the role of dentists in improving patient quality of life and overall health by identifying and treating sleep-related breathing disorders. He shares a personal story of a patient who experienced significant improvement after receiving oral appliance therapy.<br /><br />Overall, this video presentation highlights the importance of dentists' involvement in screening for sleep-related breathing disorders and provides insights into the why and how of this process.

Keywords

sleep-related breathing disorders

sleep apnea

screening

dentists

medical community collaboration

etiology

prevalence

risks

comorbidities

oral appliance therapy