Steve Carstensen, DDS

Putting Airway Therapy to Work in Your Practice (1:20)

Dr. Steve Carstensen is not only one of the most experienced clinicians in “Airway Therapy” but also one of the most prolific educators. Steve always brings a practical, team focused approach to everything he teaches and in this presentation he gives specific tools, protocols and guidance on how to start offering Airway Therapy or expanding Airway Therapy in your practice. Whether or not you are just starting to learn, are just getting started offering therapy, or have been helping people with airway issues for years, you will love Steve’s presentation and want to have it to return to for reference and for staff training.

Phillip Huyett, MD

Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Drug Induced Sleep Endoscopy and Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation (1:08)

Dr. Phillip Huyett is a dual boarded ENT and Sleep Physician at the world renowned Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston. He has a special interest in the new and exciting area of hypoglossal nerve stimulation. Of a personal note, Phillip is also married to a dentist (who is active in helping patients with sleep disordered breathing in her general practice) which gives him a unique perspective. While this presentation will focus on a surgical approach to treatment, Phillip also provides an exceptional background of obstructive sleep apnea pathophysiology and treatment in general, suited for the beginner or more advanced clinician. As an “anatomy geek” I always love presentations from my ENT colleagues. Phillip’s lecture is not only scholarly and highly evidence based, but also deeply interesting. Digging into the references provided in this presentation alone could keep you busy for months.

Jay Bowles

THERE’S A PIG IN THE CLOSET!!!! A Journey Through the World of Sleep Medicine and Becoming a Dental Sleep Liaison (0:20)

Jay has worked with the largest sleep lab management company in the world, which also ran and managed one of the largest home sleep testing programs for physicians. I met Jay and he introduced me to many sleep physicians, several of whom became friends. Jay continued providing me with great value, and I really never had anything to give him in return. Then, a few months before my time was ending in North Carolina, I connected him with the large group practice I had been consulting. He became their “dental sleep liaison” and has taken the sleep and TMD aspects of the practice on to record heights! In Jay’s short and entertaining presentation he’ll discuss the skills and traits that can help you connect with more physicians, allowing you to help far more people “get their pig out of the closet.”

Gene Santucci, DDS, MA

The Perfect Dental Storm: Sleep Disturbances, Sleep Bruxism, GERD, Saliva, and Erosion (1:24)

Dr. Gene Santucci is an Associate Professor of Preventive and Restorative Dentistry at the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, and director of their Dental Sleep Medicine mini residency. Gene’s presentation hits us all right where we live as dentists—in the mouth! Gene expertly reviews the many issues we see as restorative dentists and shows the possible connections, correlations, causations and concerns in both adults and children. You’ll feel more prepared not only for that next severe wear patient, but for all your patients, as your understanding of possible etiologies expand, improving your restorative abilities and confidence. Gene’s many years of experience teaching at the dental school and post graduate levels comes through in this broad and highly applicable presentation.

Jessica Sabo, DDS

Sleep and the Elite Athlete (0:15)

Dr. Jessica Sabo is a general dentist with a special focus on sleep and TMD within her restorative practice. Often when people think about sleep apnea the image of the fat, old, man comes to mind. We all know that sleep is critical for overall health, but what about athletic performance? In this fast paced, elite athlete focused presentation Jessica steps away from the typical “sickness focused” thought process of helping people with sleep disordered breathing to “performance focused.” In general, people who come to the dentist are interested in keeping themselves healthy. Many of these people are also performance focused, looking to get the best out of themselves whether that be in the gym, on the road, in the pool, on the mountain, or in the office. What if you were able to help these people with an elite sleep training program, expanding your services beyond “the sick” to those looking to maximize their potential? Game changer!

John Remmers, MD

Pathogenesis of Upper Airway Occlusion (1:33)

Dr. John Remmers literally wrote the book on this topic. He was the first researcher to elucidate the pathogenesis of sleep apnea and to demonstrate that obstructive sleep apnea is caused by an anatomical narrowing of the pharynx. John has developed various technologies and medical devices to treat sleep apnea, from portable diagnostic sleep monitors to auto-adjusting CPAP devices, and remotely controlled/feedback controlled mandibular positioners (Zephyr’s MATRx and MATRx™ plus). If you’ve never heard John speak before you’re in for a treat. There is no one better to give you an overview of the pathophysiology of sleep apnea. John is also a huge advocate for oral appliance therapy and the dental approach to treating sleep apnea. He will share his life’s work to make what we do as dentists more evidence based instead of “a dark art,” resulting in more predictable and more positive outcomes.

Kathi Wilson, DDS

Transitioning to a DSM & TMD ONLY Practice: A “Hindsight is 20/20 Checklist From Someone Who Successfully Did This!” (0:15)

Has the covid-19 crisis changed your perspective on dentistry at all? Maybe you’re a little less excited about “creating aerosols” or dealing with “the new normal.” Maybe you were thinking about transitioning more toward a limited practice prior to the coronavirus crisis, and this situation now has you taking such a move even more seriously. Well, Kathi has actually done it! In 2019, Kathi was able to sell her restorative practice and open her limited sleep and TMD practice. How do you ramp up DSM/TMD without hurting your GP practice? What can you expect? What credentials do you need? What things are important that perhaps you haven’t even considered? Kathi lets you learn from her experience…so you’re less likely to need a lifeline.

Jeff Wyscarver, RPSGT

Screening for Bruxism and Related Sleep Issues (0:21)

Jeff has been active in the sleep field for nearly 30 years. He worked for 10 years in sleep labs in various positions, and then with medical device companies focused on sleep diagnostic instrumentation. For the past 10 years he has run his own company focused on helping dentists with unique screening devices that record not only interruptions in breathing such as apneas and hypopneas, but also the EMG muscle activity often related to bruxism. Jeff brings his unique level of experience into this presentation and provides you with practical information and tools that you can use to better diagnose and monitor your sleep bruxism patients.

Robert Rogers, DMD

The Medley, 3-in-1 Oral Appliance: What, Why & How (0:15)

Dr. Rob Rogers is one of the most experienced dental sleep medicine clinicians in the world. He and his wife Mary Beth created the “Sleep Disorders Dental Society” in 1991, which eventually became the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. Rob has treated more than 20,000 sleep apnea patients with oral appliance therapy and currently heads the Pittsburgh Dental Sleep Medicine Network. In this compact, but highly efficient presentation, Rob discusses the Medley Appliance, the Swiss Army Knife of oral appliances. After decades of treating thousands of patients Rob became frustrated dealing with the inadequacies of all of the various appliance designs, so he invented a unique appliance that could be employed in almost any case. If your biggest question is “what appliance should I use?” this presentation is for you!

Noshir Mehta, DMD, MDS, MS

Dental Occlusion as a Common Thread in the Assessment and Management of Occlusal Parafunction, Temporomandibular Disorders and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (0:43)

Dr. Noshir Mehta is a Professor and Associate Dean of Global Relations at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, where he is also the founding director and senior advisor of the Craniofacial Pain and Sleep Center. Noshir is one of my greatest mentors and always brings a highly clinically focused and practical approach to everything he teaches. Occlusion is one of the most difficult and confusing subjects for dental professionals, even though we deal with it with every patient! Noshir’s “weak link theory” has stood the test of time and helps us understand how tooth wear, periodontal disease, TMJ problems, and airway issues may be related. Noshir also describes the concept of “occlusal fencing” which, once understood, will likely make you say, “Why didn’t I learn that in dental school??!!” (Answer: because you didn’t go to Tufts… or if you did you didn’t pay attention). Whatever you think you know about occlusion I can virtually guarantee you that Noshir’s presentation will expand that knowledge and help you feel more confident helping your patients, and connect things you never thought were connected.

Jagdeep Bijwadia, MD, MBA

Telemedicine: Is it Time? (0:15)

Dr. Jagdeep Bijwadia is the CMO of Beddr and the Medical Director for Virtusleep. As a pulmonary sleep physician Jagdeep has been on the front lines of diagnosing and treating sleep apnea for many years. In this concise presentation Jagdeep gives “the why” behind the need for telemedicine and how such services can be a significant blessing in your patients’ lives. A couple of months ago most of us dentists didn’t think much about telemedicine, and very few of us would have had any experience personally with telemedicine. The Covid-19 crisis took this important technology from a curiosity to a necessity for many of us. Now, personally, I can’t imagine going forward without the use of telemedicine. Do you ever have issues with your patients not wanting to go and see a sleep doctor? Does it seem like you talk to patients all the time about their possible sleep apnea but have a difficult time getting them to take the next step? If so, first, you’re not alone, second, you’ll enjoy this extremely relevant and timely presentation from Jagdeep and will be thrilled to learn that such an incredible sleep doctor is “only a click away” from seeing your patients, regardless of where you live.

Noah Siegel, MD

The Role of the Nose in Sleep Disordered Breathing (1:04)

Dr. Noah Siegel is dual boarded in Otolaryngology and Sleep and is the Director of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Surgery at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, part of Harvard Medical School. Noah’s presentation will focus on the nose and nasal breathing and how nasal breathing may impact sleep disordered breathing, severity of obstructive sleep apnea, and the success of related treatments. Noah will make a case for us as dentists to “examine the nose” and give us the tools and the anatomical and clinical knowledge to know what to look for and how. Working with a local ENT surgeon will dramatically increase your ability to help your patients with sleep disordered breathing. Noah’s presentation will help you to feel confident as you reach out to your ENT colleagues, helping you to understand what they do and what they look for and which of your patients would be good referrals. THIS is the way to build positive relationships with your local ENT colleagues (not referring them tonsillectomy cases… although they’ll do those too… but they much prefer nasal surgery). Noah has worked with many dentists in the Boston area and is faculty at dental sleep medicine mini residencies, so expect a highly relevant presentation.

Cameron Kuehne, DMD, MS

Diagnosis and Treatment of Common TMJ Issues (1:24)

Dr. Cameron Kuehne has spent his entire career in a practice limited to the treatment of TMJ problems and airway issues. He has developed a practical, no nonsense approach to diagnosis and treatment that does not require expensive instrumentation or specialized equipment. For dentists getting involved in dental sleep medicine the fear of creating TMJ issues in their patients is often present. In this lecture Cameron will provide step by step guidance to the diagnosis and treatment of retrodiscitis, temporal tendonitis, and help you better understand disc displacements and when you need to take action or refer. There are so many people suffering needlessly with these relatively simple to diagnose and treat issues. Cameron’s presentation will give you the tools you need to help these people quickly and effectively. Cameron is also a highly sought after presenter for his practical and entertaining style, which he also brings to this virtual format.

Dania Tamimi, BDS, DMSc

Understanding the TMJ and CBCT Adventure (1:45)

Dr. Dania Tamimi wrote the book on imaging of the temporomandibular joint—literally—publishing the masterwork “Speciality Imaging, Temporomandibular Joint” with fellow Oral and Maxillofacial Radiologist Dr. David Hatcher. I have this book in my library and it is full of practical pearls and concise clinical information. In this presentation Dania focuses on imaging of the TMJ and upper airway. Reviewing the relevant anatomy, and helping you understand what all those shades of gray mean, with a clinical focus. Whether you own a CBCT or not, you likely have access to one. If you ever refer patients for MRI (which if you don’t you may start after watching Dr. Kuehne’s presentation) you need to know what you’re looking at. Imaging can be extremely helpful in your diagnosis and treatment planning, as well as in avoiding potential issues. Dania’s presentation will help you feel more comfortable with your evaluation of imaging of the TMJ and airway, and give you the confidence to also discuss imaging with your peers and radiologists.

Jonathan Parker, DDS

Customizing Oral Appliance Selection for OSA Patients (1:23)

Dr. Jonathan Parker is one of the most entertaining and enjoyable speakers you’ll ever have the privilege of hearing. He has been a leader in the field since its inception, and has started many great dentists on their dental sleep medicine journey. Jon has lectured around the world, at virtually every major dental meeting, ran in house hands on courses, and now acts as one of the directors of a Dental Sleep Medicine mini residency. Jon is driven by his passion to help those suffering with sleep and TMD issues and truly believes that ALL dental professionals are needed in this battle. One of the most confusing things for many dentists getting involved in treating those with OSA is choosing which of the many appliances on the market to use. In Jon’s highly pragmatic, “you can do this style” he shares with you his experience with thousands of patients so you can be more comfortable whether you’re helping your first, fiftieth or five hundredth patient. Get ready to take some notes!

Kip Covington, DMD

The Transition from a DSO Associate to Starting a Sleep & TMD Practice (0:19)

Dr. Kip Covington has had a whirlwind adventure in his relatively short 10 year career. As a dentist in a large, 20 location group practice, he immediately started “looking beyond the teeth” at the greater context of his patient’s health. His continuing education journey has taken him to every thought leader in the fields of sleep and airway and he has brilliantly synthesized what he has learned into his own practical approach. Many dentists get bogged down with such diverse education, looking more for a cookbook approach. Not Kip. He has been able to adapt what he has learned to his own unique practice circumstance which has also allowed him to focus more on sleep and TMD in his group practice, where he now spends most of his time. In this presentation Kip will share with you how he has been able to make this successful transition in a short period of time, and his caring and easy going personality will have you thinking “I can do that too!”

Bethany Valachi, PT, DPT, MS, CEAS

Solve Your Work-Related Pain and Extend Your Career (0:16)

Dr. Bethany Valachi wins the award for most initials after her name :-), but those initials aren’t just for show. Bethany is a clinical instructor of ergonomics at Oregon Health Sciences University and is an invited lecturer at every major US dental meeting, being brought back time and time again. During this crisis Bethany has continued teaching, reaching thousands of dental professionals via excellently produced webinars. Bethany also happens to be married to a dentist who a few years ago transitioned from his restorative practice to a DSM and TMD focused practice. In Bethany’s audience engaging style she will give you the practical guidance you need to learn how to practice pain free. With covid-19 we had no choice but to close our practices. Whether or not you have to close in the future due to pain or disability may be a choice. Choose to learn from Bethany how to extend your career—pain free.

Domingo Rodriguez-Cué, MD

Sleep Problems in Primary Care-Results (0:10)

Dr. Domingo Rodriguez-Cué’s road into sleep medicine was NOT typical. After a 2 year general surgery residency at Columbia he entered a nationally ranked rural residency program at East Carolina and became boarded in Family Medicine. After teaching for 4 years at ECU he started his private practice and quickly came to realize that although diet and exercise were widely regarded as the two main pillars of optimal health, there was a missing third pillar that was just as essential—sleep. Domingo decided he wanted to incorporate the three pillars of health into his medical practice, so he completed advanced training and obtained his board certification in Sleep Medicine in 2009. His “whole person” approach to sleep medicine is unique and refreshing. Domingo has become a great friend to many dentists as he helps them with the screening and diagnosis of their patients. I know you’ll enjoy Domingo’s short but poignant presentation.

Jason Tierney, Transform DSM

Dental Sleep Practice Failure to Thrive – A Root Cause Analysis (1:00)

Jason has asked me to speak at several conferences, and write who knows how many articles for him, so I thought turn about was fair play. Jason has a unique perspective on dental sleep medicine and TMD. After 15 years of working with dental sleep practitioners in various consultative capacities including a large national appliance lab, DSM software company, medical billing, continuing education, and more, Jason has had the opportunity (and occasional misfortune) to coordinate with thousands of dentists desiring to make a mark in dental sleep medicine. Jason has observed a multitude of practitioners excited about helping patients and adding a productive new facet to their practices – only to flounder, fail, and bail. They are the norm, NOT the exception. Then he realized the real reason for the failure to thrive in these practices. The root cause—which he discusses in this engaging presentation—may not be what you think.

Erica Johannes, DDS

How I Started a Dental Sleep Medicine Practice By Myself! (0:16)

After practicing general dentistry for 11 years in both Wisconsin and South Carolina, Dr. Erica Johannes made a significant leap of faith, opening a practice limited to Dental Sleep Medicine in South Carolina, by herself. Erica’s staff includes a dentist, office manager, billing expert, dental assistant, chief financial officer and chief marketing officer—and they’re ALL ERICA! In this presentation you’ll quickly recognize that Erica is NOT normal. She is NOT one to just sit around and wait for things to happen. She is NOT one to allow herself to become paralyzed by all the details of having to figure out a million different things. And she is also NOT one to believe that she is the only one that can do this… you can too! If doing more sleep (and TMD) in your practice appeals to you, or you’re thinking that one day you might even consider limiting your practice, Erica will help you see that it’s not only possible, but doable, and that “one day” could become “today.”

Daniel Richards, CFO Dental Partners

Manage Cash Flow Like A Pro! (0:20)

Daniel Richards was a top-producing advisor and Managing Director for Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. He founded CFO Dental Partners in 2015 after seeing a growing need among dental practices for long-term business support. Danny has been working with our practices for over 2 years and it has made a HUGE difference, and has helped us go from management by our gut feelings (like most dentists do) to management by our numbers. Danny’s help and advice has been extremely valuable during the covid-19 crisis and knowing our numbers has been a huge difference for us. In this presentation Danny will review the 3 dials that should guide your practice’s financial operations, helping you make better “should I…?” decisions instantly. You know how to diagnose and treat your patients, but do you know how to diagnose and treat your practice? What are your practice’s vital signs? Understanding your numbers has never been more important. By the end of Danny’s packed presentation you’ll likely ask yourself, “why didn’t they teach me this stuff in dental school?!”

Michael Goldberg, DMD

The ABC’s of Practice SurThrival (0:16)

Dr. Michael Goldberg is on the board of 3 charitable organizations that help educate and provide care for the indigent and people with special needs around the world.

His mission: help people who help people to help people.

From Tufts Dental to Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and Columbia University Dental School, to his Park Avenue practice, Michael has brought a family fueled business and entrepreneurial background to places that lacked such experience. He and his wife Laurie now help other dentists through Practice Perfect Systems and as the official consultants to the Spencer Study Club. In this power packed presentation Michael will give you the keys to not only survive during this challenging time, but thrive.

Michelle Weddle, DDS

5 Steps to Growing Sleep & TMD by 500% (in ONE year) (0:25)

I asked Dr. Michelle Weddle to give this presentation because that title is for real. This is what she did in 2019, growing the sleep and TMD aspects of her general practice by 500%. And it wasn’t like she was starting from scratch either or that her 2018 numbers were so low that we are playing some sort of statistics game. Nope—500% growth of her sleep and TMD practice, all while lecturing, mentoring, competing in aerial acrobatic dance and being a great mom and spouse. Michelle is proof that great things often come in small packages. As I have had the pleasure of coaching Michelle and working with her closely, my number one guidance to her is usually to DO LESS, yet she has the incredible capacity to do more than most people can even imagine. If you’re looking for how to massively grow sleep and TMD as part of a restorative practice, you won’t want to miss Michelle’s 5 steps.

Tracey Nguyen, DDS

Simplifying the Pediatric Airway Exam (1:00)

No sleep summit would be complete without talking about the kiddos! As dentists we are uniquely positioned to pick up growth and development issues when they are relatively easy to guide, correct and maximize. Dr. Tracey Nguyen has spent many years synthesizing the special considerations of screening, diagnosis and treatment of pediatric airway issues. Children are NOT just little adults, and sleep disordered breathing is perhaps even easier to miss in children, often with life altering results. The good news is that once accurately diagnosed children often respond dramatically to both non surgical and surgical therapies. The key is picking up on the potential disorder. Speaking from personal experience, it’s easy to miss a sleep disorder in a child—which I did in my own son. Sometimes courses in pediatric airway can be confusing and overwhelming leaving the practitioner asking themselves “what do I do now?” Tracey breaks down the pediatric exam into simple techniques that you’ll be comfortable following. Whether or not you ever intend to treat a child for an airway issue, you owe it to any children you come in contact with, and their families, to at least know how to screen and refer. Tracey will show you how.

Lieutenant Colonel Phillip Neal, DMD

Applying Military Lessons Learned to Improve and Save Lives (1:45)

Dr. Phillip Neal has over 30 years of federal service and has performed in many different leadership roles in the military. He has lead the charge in increasing the use of oral appliance therapy amongst soldiers in the Army, as well as working with his medical colleagues to increase awareness, screening and diagnosis of sleep disordered breathing. In the military, sleep deprivation is often the rule, not the exception, and typical “sleep hygiene” practices are often not practical or possible. In such environments, maximizing the quality of the available sleep is of critical importance—and since a single snorer can disturb the sleep of many others in close quarters, treating even the “simple snorer” takes on greater practical, potentially lethal, impact. If you have never heard Phillip speak before you are in for a real pleasure. I have had the honor of working with Phillip through his “Dental Sleep Medicine Short Course” and have seen his leadership in action. A couple of years ago he was also the keynote speaker at a large national conference and was the first dental speaker I’ve ever seen receive THREE standing ovations (although one was for his wife, so he doesn’t get to count that one).

Jamison Spencer, DMD, MS

Dental Sleep & TMD Mixtape: Avoiding Side Effects, 1% Occlusion, and Why your Why Matters (1:30)

Since I’m actually writing this, I think I won’t refer to myself in the third person. I bought a practice limited to TMD right out of dental school in 1998… so clearly I’m crazy! Fast forward 22 years and going down that road less traveled has made all the difference. In my presentation I’ll share with you some of the “contrarian views” I’ve developed after treating thousands of TMD and sleep patients and having worked with dozens of physicians and hundreds of dentists in various settings. I’ll share with you how to avoid negative side effects with oral appliance therapy; the #1 thing you can do to help patients with TMD issues; and why YOUR WHY will determine if you actually implement anything that you learn in this summit. Knowledge is NOT power. Implementation and execution are power.