Qualified dentists are uniquely positioned to work as part of an interdisciplinary team with sleep physicians in two primary ways to help close the obstructive sleep apnea treatment gap, reports DentistryIQ.
Teamwork between dentists and sleep physicians when offering oral appliance therapy is essential, because OSA is a medical disorder. As dentists, the moment we broach the subject of sleep apnea with our patients, we are entering a medical environment filled with diagnosis requirements, medical insurance billing, potential medical liabilities, and more. Dental sleep medicine is an exciting field to work in and a vital service that dentists can provide, but it needs to be coordinated in tandem with a medical counterpart to be truly impactful. Additionally, the dentist must be prepared through education to use the proper protocols in order to be a valued part of a medical team.
