WE “FALL BACK” ON SUNDAY, NOV. 6th AND CAN GAIN AN EXTRA HOUR’S SLEEP

Before going to bed Saturday night, set your clocks back one hour.

How are you planing to take advantage of the extra hour? In order to fulfill the essential number of regenerating sleep cycles the average adult needs 7-8 hours.

Do you sleep soundly or sleep with sound?

Instead of “falling back” his fall, dentists have the opportunity to spring forward with Dental Sleep Medicine and help the millions of their Sleep Apnea victims.

Upcoming training seminars by DSM experts are available in the following cities:

Nov 2016

LAS VEGAS, NV –         11/04/2016 – 11/05/2016 Register Now! 
MEMPHIS, TN –             11/04/2016 – 11/05/2016 Register Now! 
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – 11/11/2016 – 11/12/2016 Register Now! 
WASHINGTON, DC –    11/11/2016 – 11/12/2016 Register Now! 
BOSTON, MA –              11/18/2016 – 11/19/2016 Register Now! 
GREENVILLE, SC –       11/18/2016 – 11/19/2016 Register Now! 
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – 11/18/2016 – 11/19/2016 Register Now! 

Dec 2016

CHICAGO, IL –                12/02/2016 – 12/03/2016 Register Now! 
TAMPA, FL –                   12/02/2016 – 12/03/2016 Register Now! 
DENTAL STAFF BOOT CAMP – 12/02/2016 – 12/03/2016Register Now! 
DALLAS, TX –                  12/09/2016 – 12/10/2016 Register Now! 
NEW YORK CITY, NY –   12/09/2016 – 12/10/2016 Register Now! 
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA – 12/16/2016 – 12/17/2016 Register Now! 
SALT LAKE CITY, UT –    12/16/2016 – 12/17/2016 Register Now! 
TUCSON, AZ –                  12/16/2016 – 12/17/2016 Register Now! 

The Medical Role of Hygienists in Dental Sleep Medicine

Is there anyone in a better position than the Hygienist to discover the signs and symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea? Your field of operations is right there at the opening of the airway. 

 

You can’t miss the signs.
You can see if a large tongue is blocking the passageway to the pharynx. You can see if the sides of the tongue show a scalloping which is indicative of a forceful gasping for precious air. Is the airway blocked laterally by large fauces or tonsils?  You can’t miss the patient’s Mallampati score.

Do the occlusal surfaces of the posterior teeth show evidence of bruxism? Are the incisal edges of the anterior teeth worn down?
Does your patient have acid reflux? TMJ pain? A severely receded (retrognathic) chin?

And in your interview with your patient do you learn that your patient has daytime sleepiness, often dozes off while watching TV or at the movies, and even worse, feels sleepy while driving?

Were you informed that the patient’s spouse complains about loud snoring?
Do you see an overweight patient with a large diameter neck? 

 

 

Listen to the alert! 
These are some of the more common signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. They are so easy to see. These warning signs are sitting right there in the hygienist’s field of operations and they are screaming out, “Notice us. We are here to destroy your patient”.  “We can cancel out all the good that you do for this patient.”

 

For a diligent Hygienist to miss these warnings would be to surrender a great opportunity to help patients enjoy a better quality of life and, in fact, to save lives. The rewards to you, your practice, and your patients are considerable-  both emotionally and financially.  

Take action! 

Become a member of the LinkedIn discussion group RDH SLEEP SOLUTIONS and enter the discussion to learn to incorporate Dental Sleep Medicine into your practice.  

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12016156

 

SLEEP GROUP SOLUTIONS presents “Treating Snoring and Sleep Apnea in the Dental Office” to Broward County Dental Association (Florida)

Monday November 21st, 2016, 6 PM

Call BCDA 850-628-7939 for reservations

John Nadeau, VP of SGS, presents this Intro to Dental Sleep Medicine, including Medical Billing for Dentists

You can join the battle to combat this serious disease– Sleep Apnea..

Get trained and prepared to help the 40 million victims of sleep apnea.

 Many of them are already your patients.

Be a shining light and stand out as a doctor who literally saves lives.

DO WE HAVE TOO MANY DENTAL HYGIENISTS?

A Hygienist/Staffing Specialist in Cleveland/Akron, Ohio posed this question on LinkedIn to the American Dental Education Association:   “…why are schools graduating so many Dental Hygienists in a field that is very saturated, with little chance of job opportunities for these new Dental Hygiene grads? “

I am also interested in hearing the answer. Here in south Florida there is a plethora of well trained, dedicated Hygienists who are working part-time for Staffing Agencies, or as clinical assistants, and in other industries, because there are not enough opportunities in dental offices. My colleagues in Philadelphia and southern California tell me the situation is similar there.

Do you find this to be the case in YOUR area?

From The Bureau of Labor Statistics:
Job prospects are expected to be favorable in most areas, but will vary by geographical location. Because graduates are permitted to practice only in the State in which they are licensed, hygienists wishing to practice in areas that have an abundance of dental hygiene programs may experience strong competition for jobs.

Projection data from the National Employment Matrix Occupation:
Dental hygienists

174,100 2008
237,000 2018
36% increase

Do you feel that expanding the legal functions of Hygienists, and relaxing their areas of “direct supervision” will alleviate this problem?