Steps to Screen for Sleep Apnea in your Dental Office
Over the last decade, dentistry has evolved beyond just treating teeth—it’s about treating the whole person. As dental professionals, we often see our patients more frequently than their primary care physicians, giving us a unique opportunity to identify early signs of serious health conditions, including sleep apnea.
Many of the early indicators of sleep apnea appear in the oral cavity long before a formal diagnosis is made. By integrating sleep apnea screening into your practice, you can begin to enhance your patients' overall health and even help prolong lives.
Here are some simple steps to screen for Sleep Apnea in your office:
- Medical History Review – Ask patients about risk factors such as snoring, daytime fatigue, high blood pressure, and family history of sleep disorders.
- Screening Questionnaires – Use tools like the Epworth Sleepiness Scale or STOP-BANG questionnaire to identify high-risk patients.
- Oral Examination – Look for key indicators such as a large tongue, narrow high palate, scalloped tongue, worn/flattened teeth, venous pooling under the eyes, or a high BMI.
- Patient Conversations – Educate your patients about the link between oral health and sleep apnea. Many don’t realize that their dentist can play a role in identifying and addressing sleep disorders.
- Offer Sleep Testing – Consider implementing home sleep tests to support diagnosis and treatment planning.
- AI & Digital Scanning – Leverage technology to monitor changes over time and identify risk factors more accurately.
Many dental professionals who integrate sleep apnea screenings into their practice find it to be one of the most rewarding additions to patient care. Whether or not you choose to integrate providing treatment using OSA-oral sleep appliances today or sometime in the future, simply identifying at-risk patients can lead to life-changing and even life-saving interventions.
By implementing these small steps today, you can make a lasting impact on your patient's health and well-being and begin to elevate your patient experience.
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