BRETT BROCKI
FINDING A BETTER WAY :
Treating Sleep Disorders from the Dental Practice
HELPING OTHERS
My focus on dental sleep medicine is rooted in one thing : helping others improve their overall health and prevent tragedy by understanding the importance of sleep . I have seen my fair share of adversity , hurt and pain , including the unexpected loss of loved ones that could have been prevented . That is why I am passionately committed to helping people tackle sleep-related breathing disorders and the negative effects they have on the rest of the body . That journey began with my own diagnosis .
WHEN THE PROBLEM HITS CLOSE TO HOME
I once thought that it was normal to wake up every hour from 11pm until 6am , checking my email and answering messages , until someone alerted me that this irregular sleep pattern might be a red flag . I agreed to seek help . A very close friend who I worked with for many years in the dental industry suggested I see a dentist . So I did . The dentist directed me to an ENT to follow a standard protocol , beginning what seemed like a neverending quest . The ENT conducted a few tests that were
“ inconclusive ” and suggested that I needed a sleep lab ASAP . In the sleep lab , completely wired up and ready to go , the PSG tech said to me “ Now look , I need you to sleep on your back and then I will bring in the CPAP .” Confused , I looked at him and said “ I don ’ t sleep on my back . I sleep on my side or stomach .” His response , “ No . YOU don ’ t understand . This is insurance driven and I need you to sleep on your back .” I was absolutely furious . More importantly , my life and many others were in jeopardy of not getting proper treatment because of this mindset . But there I was , so I slept on my side as naturally as possible and was diagnosed with severe OSA . I tried a dentist looking for another way to treat my problem . He configured a very rudimentary “ snore guard ” which broke multiple times within several months . If you know anything about me , you know I will not stop until I ’ ve found the best , most current technology and clinical knowledge to help people . That drive is part of who I am , “ I must do something to help my fellow humans .” I only know one way to do that : Attack the problem head on and create the change .
BRETT BROCKI
Brett Brocki is the owner and national sleep consultant for N3Sleep . Brett has been in the dental industry since birth . His mother was the former head dental assistant at Fort Bragg and Brett has seen the inside of thousands of dental practices , including civilian , military and hospital practices . His expertise in business , finance and dental allow him to bridge the gap between these worlds for his clients .
So I began the process of finding out why patients were falling through the cracks . I found the problem was not just the system of screening and treatment , but also that most dentists today don ’ t have the right training or bandwidth to treat sleep effec-