Dental Sleep Medicine Insider January 2016 | Page 3

Jason Tierney Editor-in-chief IN BED WITH THE EDITOR WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? The Dental Sleep Medicine Insider [email protected] 314-882-7746 These are exciting times in the world of Dental Sleep Medicine. In the field, I regularly hear proclamations about how DSM is growing exponentially. A glance at the AADSM’s growth trajectory confirms this. However, an alarmingly small percentage of the general dentistry population is actually treating Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB). It’s estimated that there are about 160,000 general dentists in the U.S. but less than 15,000 are offering oral appliance therapy and less than 10% of those individuals (approximately 1% of the profession) are treating more than 5 patients per month. Why is this? Why aren’t more dentists treating SDB? There are an estimated 25 million (and growing) sleep apneics in the U.S. Dentists are on the frontlines for identification and management of these patients, but less than 1% of dentists are stepping up to the plate? Is it lack of education? The DSM CE market is growing like a gremlin fed after midnight. Is it because of the obstacles inherent to the out-of-network medical billing model? There are a number of competent 3rd party firms that can successfully manage the billing process for you. Don’t believe me? Just ask them. Sometimes I hear the contemptuous rationale that “I just don’t have any patients that need the treatment.” See the aforementioned prevalence stats to debunk that myth. I’ve even heard some dentists posit that they don’t offer this life-saving service because it can “cause TMD.” Just read the following pages for more on that. I’ll ask again. Why aren’t more dentists treating SDB? You tell me.