Airway Management – The Dentist’s New Role

What You’ll Learn

The Institute of Houston Dental Synergy is proud to host Dr. Nguyen and Dr. Weddle. In 2017, the ADA adopted a policy statement outlining the dentist’s role in treating Sleep Related Breathing Disorders (SRBD) in adults and children. This presentation will provide a basic introduction to sleep related breathing disorders and how they impact the treatment dentists provide to their patients on a daily basis. This course will help clinicians understand their NEW role and Standard of Care set by the ADA for Dentists regarding Adult and Pediatric patients in their practices. It will also present the different tools that dentists could utilize in their practice in order to screen for airway issues in their adult patient population. By the end of this presentation, dentists will:

• Become familiar with the role of dentists in treating SRBD as outlined in 2017 by the ADA
• Recognize the medical and dental signs and symptoms of SRBD in adults
• Recognize the medical comorbidities of SRBD in adults
• Recognize the impact of SRBD in the dental prognosis
• Become familiar with the different screening methods for SRBD in adults and be able to incorporate screening in their practices if they choose to do so
• Learn how to implement protocols for airway screening and treatment for your infant, pediatric and adult patients.
• Understand the appropriate path to identify these patients and how to work collaboratively to achieve health and wellness for the patient with airway and sleep issues.

Why You Should Attend

Identifying and having discussions with patients about airway issues could:

Improve the predictability of everyday dentistry – Airway issues could lead to problems in everyday general dentistry due to bruxism and acid production (wear and tear and longevity of restorations, fracture/chipping of teeth, loosening crowns, issues with night guard discomfort, bite issues). Understanding the connection between airway, sleep, and general dentistry will allow the practitioner to identify those patients at risk and focus on them in order to help make the dentistry in this patient population more predictable. And in dentistry, predictably means less emergencies and more efficiency and profitability.

Pandemic-proof the practice – Gives a practice an “edge” by positioning the practice as a critical healthcare partner  when discussing oral-systemic connection. Increases the competitiveness of a practice because with the advent of covid, the importance of underlying health has been underscored. At no time is the general health of an individual more in focus in society than it is is today. Allowing patients to understand dentistry’s contribution to this overall health in general and in airway and respiratory health in particular will allow dental practices to position themselves as a major partner in their patients overall health, increasing the likelihood that patients will not postpone needed dental care and preventive dental visits, contributing to the stability of the dental practice during the pandemic and beyond.

Insurance-proof the practice – Being seen as a unique dental practice that is a critical healthcare partner and not just a provider who treats teeth, affords the practice a certain flexibility when it comes to insurance participation. Patients are less likely to switch to another dentist if the practice decides to not participate in insurance because they know and understand that your practice is a partner in their overall health condition and not just looking at their teeth.  They are also more likely to bring their whole family to the practice (adults bring their kids and pediatric patients have parents coming in as new patients). In addition, they are more likely to refer their friends and family if they think you can help them.