Where dentistry meets sleep
Dental sleep medicine is the part of sleep medicine that involves dentists. The American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM) describes itself as a professional society dedicated entirely to the field. Its members are dentists and dental team members who provide oral appliance therapy, a mouth-worn device used in sleep care.
Sleep medicine as a whole covers many conditions. MedlinePlus lists the main types of sleep disorders as insomnia, sleep-related breathing disorders such as sleep apnea, sleep-related movement disorders, hypersomnia, circadian rhythm disorders and parasomnia. Dental sleep medicine concerns the breathing-related part of that list.
Who is involved
The AADSM website has separate sections for dentists, dental team members, students, medical providers and patients. That layout reflects the way the field works: the dental side and the medical side coordinate. The society also runs a Mastery Program, and dentists who complete it can use the title AADSM Qualified Dentist.
The AADSM site also covers home sleep apnea tests and the reimbursement of oral appliance therapy, two topics that come up often when a dental office and a sleep physician work together.
How it connects to a sleep study
A sleep study is what tells a doctor which sleep problem is involved. NHLBI notes that sleep studies help diagnose sleep-related breathing disorders such as sleep apnea. If a dental approach comes up afterward, the decision rests with the physician and dentist who know the person's history.
For the study itself, see what a sleep study is and the home and lab comparison.
Terms worth knowing
- Oral appliance therapy. A mouth-worn device provided by a dentist, as described by the AADSM.
- AADSM Qualified Dentist. A title earned through the AADSM Mastery Program.
- Home sleep apnea test. A portable overnight test that records breathing rate, heart rate, blood oxygen and snoring.
- Obstructive sleep apnea. The condition a home test can diagnose, according to MedlinePlus.
Questions to ask a dental office about sleep
- Is a sleep study needed first, and who orders it?
- How does the dental office coordinate with my physician?
- What training does the dentist have in dental sleep medicine?
- Will my insurance or Medicaid plan cover the visit, a study or a device?
- What follow-up visits are involved?
Checking a licence
Dentists in New York are licensed by the state, and the New York State Education Department's Office of the Professions runs a licence verification search. The guide to choosing a sleep center walks through how to use it.
Common questions
What is dental sleep medicine?
It is the part of sleep medicine that involves dentists. The AADSM calls itself a professional society dedicated entirely to the field, and its members provide oral appliance therapy.
What is an AADSM Qualified Dentist?
A dentist who has earned the designation through the AADSM Mastery Program, according to the society's website.
Do I need a sleep study before seeing a dentist about sleep?
That depends on your doctor and dentist. A sleep study is how a sleep problem is diagnosed, so it is a question to ask at the first visit.
Where can I check a dentist's New York licence?
The New York State Education Department's Office of the Professions has an online licence verification search.
Keep reading
- What a sleep study is
- Home sleep testing and in-lab studies
- Sleep scoring and results
- Choosing a sleep center
- Sleep in a dense city
Looking for sleep centers? See the Bronx directory or the centers in Queens and Manhattan.