Experts at ADA summit agree that dentists can be key in providing care for patients with sleep and airway disorders

ADA Sleep and Airway-Focused Dentistry Summit connected dentists, physicians and industry partners to discuss the challenges of providing optimal care for sleep apnea patients.

More than 40 dental and medical professionals from across the country discussed how to strengthen the dental profession’s role in sleep and airway health at the American Dental Association’s Sleep and Airway-Focused Dentistry Summit on Dec. 3 in Chicago.

Attendees included dentists who have made sleep and airway care a key part of their practices, neurologists and other sleep medicine physicians, researchers, consultants and representatives from companies developing sleep diagnostic and treatment technologies.

Through a series of remarks, open discussions, panel sessions, and breakout groups, attendees noted the potential to improve outcomes for patients with sleep apnea and related conditions by enhancing education for both patients and providers, as well as improving collaboration between dentists and physicians. ADA President Richard Rosato, D.M.D., addressed the summit, noting, “Airway management is exactly the kind of area that invites the best of our abilities.”

Participants agreed that the scale of untreated sleep disorders requires a more comprehensive, team-based, patient-centered approach to overcome barriers that include limited public awareness and fragmented insurance systems. Interrupted breathing during sleep affects an estimated 30 million people in the U.S., but only 6 million have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, according to the American Medical Association. Patients are often unaware of treatment options beyond CPAP therapy or surgery. Public awareness of the role dental professionals can play in treating sleep disorders is another barrier, as is collaboration between dental and medical providers which remains a challenge to professionals in both health care settings.

“If we don’t all work together we’re never going to solve this problem,” noted attendee and former president of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine David Schwartz, D.D.S.

Throughout the panel discussions and question and answer sessions, education — both for providers and the public — was commonly cited as a foundational need. Discussion centered on the need to increase knowledge among patients and among physicians that oral appliance therapy can be a viable treatment option for many sleep patients.

“Better sleep health has and will always be a priority for all clinicians, specifically dentists, because one of the key treatments of sleep disorders can be the use of oral appliances. Bringing this systemic health and education to the forefront is of utmost importance for all our patients,” noted ADA member dentist Payam Attai, D.M.D., who worked with fellow ADA member dentist Eric Pulver, D.D.S., to organize the summit which was hosted by the ADA.

Medical–dental collaboration emerged as another major theme. Many attendees described a system in which physicians and dentists operate on parallel tracks, complicating referrals, limiting treatment coordination, and frustrating patients who must navigate two health care systems.

Insurance concerns dominated the discussion during a payer-focused panel. Panelists highlighted challenges related to insurance credentialing, coverage inconsistencies, and financial disincentives that limit the use of combination therapy. Stakeholders noted that underdiagnosed populations that include lower-income patients, women, and diverse populations are disproportionately affected by gaps in coverage and care.

“As a sleep neurologist, who has recognized for over 30 years the important role of dentistry as part of the collaborative healthcare team addressing patients with sleep apnea, it is exciting to see that the needle is moving with more attention being directed towards dental sleep medicine,” noted summit attendee Jerald Simmons, MD, who practices at Comprehensive Sleep Medicine Associates in The Woodlands, Texas. “I am honored to be part of this process, which falls in line with my 22 years of conducting an annual conference on collaborative care between dentists and physicians in the sleep space."

Near the close of the summit, attendees broke into working groups to develop recommendations for next steps. Across the four groups, several themes emerged:

Laying the foundation
Participants emphasized the need to clarify the dentist’s role in airway health, build public awareness, and educate physicians and patients about dentistry’s contributions. When the attendees broke into working groups their suggestions for the future included efforts to improve communication between dentists and physicians, expand interoperability between dental and medical software systems, and promote joint advocacy initiatives.

Participants emphasized the need for more standardized payment models and medical-driven coverage for sleep-related therapies. Across all discussions, attendees agreed that advancing sleep and airway-focused dentistry will require expanded training, strong partnerships with the medical community, and advocacy that reflects the profession’s commitment to comprehensive patient care.

For resources from the ADA related to sleep apnea, visit the Oral Health Topics page on sleep apnea.