The growing prevalence of both obesity and sleep apnea underscores the need for integrated, multidisciplinary care to achieve meaningful, long‑term patient outcomes. This podcast episode explores the critical relationship between obesity and sleep‑disordered breathing, highlighting why coordinated management across healthcare disciplines is essential for effective screening, treatment planning, and sustained therapeutic success. As the understanding of these interrelated conditions evolves, collaborative strategies are becoming central to improving access, compliance, and overall health outcomes.
This discussion examines how aligning dental sleep medicine with broader medical and behavioral weight‑management approaches can enhance care for patients with obstructive sleep apnea. By fostering collaboration among providers, clinicians can address underlying contributors to OSA, improve treatment efficacy, and support more comprehensive, patient‑centered management strategies.
Nicole Florence, MD, is a lifelong Central Illinois resident. She was born in Champaign and then moved to Springfield at 8 years old. She is a product of public schools and graduate of Springfield High School. After receiving a biology degree at University of Illinois –Champaign, Nicole pursued her medical degree at Southern Illinois School of Medicine. She also completed her residency there in Combined Internal Medicine /Pediatrics in 2000.
Dr. Florence remained committed to Springfield and practiced primary care for over 20 years at Memorial Health. Upon realizing the importance of lifestyle management and weight upon medical conditions and quality of life, she obtained her board certification in Obesity Medicine in 2014. Dr. Florence has been integral to the growth of the Memorial Wellness Center which provides a comprehensive team management for obesity including both surgical and medical options. She is now Medical Director and Bariatrician of the center. She is a speaker and provides education to improve the overall health and wellness of the central Illinois community.
Dr. Florence enjoys time with her husband, adult children, and grandson. She is active on local non-profit organization boards and is an amateur writer.
Tanya DeSanto, DDS is a graduate from Northwestern University Dental School. She has been practicing dentistry in Springfield, IL for 30 years and dental sleep medicine for the last several years. Dr. DeSanto is a Diplomate of the ABDSM and member of the AADSM, AASM, and SRS. She has lectured at the AADSM Annual Meeting and co-chaired the AADSM Breaking Down Barriers for a Successful Practice Course. She is an adjunct faculty member at the SIU School of Medicine where she enjoys teaching medical residents the importance of dental sleep medicine. She currently serves as chair of the AADSM Education Committee.
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This educational offering was funded exclusively by the AADSM. For questions regarding the content of this program or for technical assistance, contact the AADSM at info@aadsm.org or 630-686-9875.