Dental Sleep Medicine Insider November 2016 | Page 13

EACH DAY, WE GET TO CHOOSE HOW WE
WILL RESPOND TO LIFE’S CHALLENGES.
Bitterness rears its ugly head
every time someone in my
office says the word “insurance.” Patients look me in
the eyes, tell me they understand exactly how important
it is that we treat their severe
sleep apnea, and in the same
breath, tell me they have to
get their dog’s surgery done
first.
“You know, those veterinarians aren’t like you real
doctors; they want all their
money up front, BEFORE you
even get treatment!”
“Dr. PCP, what do you mean
you won’t sign the LOMN?
WHY not? The patient has a
disease that is slowly sucking the life out of him each
night. It’s knocking days,
months, years off his life. Is
it medically necessary to
treat? Of course it is!”
“Dr. Drake, the insurance
company has asked for more
documentation before they
will pay…..again. I’ve sent
it to them several times already…….”

If you’ve been practicing
dental sleep medicine for
any length of time, then you
feel my pain. It’s a real challenge. But stay the course.
Endure. Hang tough. Be persistent. Stick with it. Remain
determined. Persevere.
Each day, we get to choose
how we will respond to life’s
challenges. Think of it all as
a game. Get up for it. Play
it. Play it well. Don’t let them
get you down. Don’t let them
pull you down to their level.
Take the high road. Your patients sleep better, feel better, and live longer, because
of what you do. Now, why
not you? Be the best you

can be, and provide the best
service to your patients you
can.
Choose better over bitter.

Stay the course.
Endure.
Hang tough.
Be persistent.
Stick with it.
Remain determined.
Persevere.