Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects approximately 54 million Americans—about one in four adults—yet most cases go undiagnosed. For dentists, this represents both a critical healthcare challenge and a significant practice opportunity. Dr. Guy Yatros, a general dentist who has focused exclusively on sleep medicine for the past 15 years, and Lisa Fisher-Hert, a medical billing expert with 25+ years of experience, share their insights on successfully integrating dental sleep medicine into your practice.

Why Dental Sleep Medicine Matters

"The dentist is in the best position to not only help with many of these patients but also help identify the ones that are at risk," explains Dr. Yatros. "Probably less than 10-15 percent at most of people who have sleep apnea even know they have it."

Sleep-related breathing disorders can have serious health ramifications, including:

• Heart problems
• Systemic health issues
• Poor quality of life
• Impaired daily functioning

The Four Pillars of Dental Sleep Medicine

According to Lisa Fisher-Hert, successful implementation of dental sleep medicine requires focus on four key pillars:

1. Screening: Implementing tools like sleepiness scales and STOP-BANG questionnaires
2. Testing: Establishing relationships with HST (Home Sleep Testing) companies and local physicians
3. Treatment: Providing appropriate interventions based on diagnosis
4. Billing: Managing the complexities of medical insurance billing and collections

"You need to have those four items in place in order to have a successful dental sleep medicine practice," Fisher-Hert emphasizes.

Getting Started: A Strategic Approach

Dr. Yatros recommends a methodical approach to building your sleep medicine practice:

1. Start with Your Current Patients: "Look just at your patient base in your general dentistry practice," Fisher-Hert advises. "You probably have a lot of people to start with right there."
2. Treat Family and Friends First: "There's no bigger advocate than when you treat the spouse of one of your hygienists," notes Fisher-Hert. "When they're getting better sleep, trust me, they're going to want to start screening."
3. Build Medical Community Relationships: Dr. Yatros suggests, "Don't walk in there trying to sell the physician something. Walk in there with your genuine desire to help your and their patients... You're going to find a lot of physicians who are very open to working with you."

The Financial Opportunity

While patient care should always be the primary focus, dental sleep medicine can become highly profitable. "It's one of the most profitable things you can do as a dentist," Dr. Yatros reveals. This is possible because:

• Most services are covered by medical insurance, including Medicare
• Treatment can often be delegated to trained staff members
• Modern technology has improved efficiency and predictability
• Systems are available to streamline workflow and billing

Technology and Tools for Success

Several technological advances have improved treatment predictability and practice efficiency:

1. Digital Scanning and CBCT: Improved diagnostic capabilities
2. 3D Printed/Milled Devices: Better fit and patient compliance
3. Advanced Sleep Testing: "We now have the ability through very convenient and comfortable level four sleep recorders... most of them in the form of just a ring," explains Dr. Yatros
4. Specialized Practice Management Software: Purpose-built systems for managing dental sleep medicine workflow and billing

The Importance of Systems and Support

Dr. Yatros emphasizes that trying to manage a dental sleep medicine practice with traditional dental software is problematic. "If you're using something like one of the dental softwares out there, they just don't manage the patient flow for this."

This realization led to the development of specialized systems like Dental Sleep Solutions' DS3, which provides:

• Comprehensive workflow management
• Electronic medical records designed for sleep medicine
• Training resources
• Billing support

Building Your Network

Success in dental sleep medicine often depends on building strong relationships with:

1. Medical Doctors: Particularly primary care physicians and sleep specialists
2. Insurance Companies: Getting credentialed for medical billing
3. Testing Companies: Establishing partnerships for home sleep testing
4. Support Organizations: Working with companies that can provide comprehensive practice support

Keys to Success

Based on their extensive experience, Dr. Yatros and Fisher-Hert suggest several keys to success:

1. Get Proper Training: "Take the training that we can help provide. Once you get your confidence level and you've done a few dozen of your friends and family, then yes, you want to go approach your physicians," advises Dr. Yatros.
2. Invest in Technology: Modern diagnostic and treatment tools improve predictability and patient outcomes.
3. Implement Proper Systems: Use specialized software and workflows designed for sleep medicine.
4. Focus on Patient Care: Success follows when you prioritize genuinely helping patients.
5. Build Gradually: Start with your existing patient base and expand methodically.

Conclusion: A Growing Opportunity

The increasing awareness of sleep-related breathing disorders, combined with improved technology and treatment options, makes this an ideal time to integrate dental sleep medicine into your practice. As Dr. Yatros notes, "Patient awareness has gone up... The predictability of oral appliances for treating sleep apnea has gotten much better."

For dentists willing to invest in proper training, systems, and relationships, dental sleep medicine offers a unique opportunity to significantly impact patient health while building a profitable new service line. The key is to approach it systematically, with a focus on patient care and proper implementation of the four pillars: screening, testing, treatment, and billing.

As Fisher-Hert concludes, "Get started. It's part of your responsibility within the scope of your license. It's very rewarding." With the right approach and support, dental sleep medicine could become not just a valuable service for your patients, but potentially the most profitable aspect of your practice.