I never thought a short dental course could change how I work. But it did.
As a general dentist, I often saw patients complain about jaw pain, broken teeth, or dry mouth. I didn’t realize many of them also had sleep apnea. I knew about CPAP machines, but I didn’t know that dental devices could help. That changed when I joined a dental sleep medicine certification course.
The course was online. It fit easily into my schedule. It wasn’t filled with jargon or long lectures. Everything was clear. I learned how sleep apnea works, how it affects breathing, and how dentists can spot the signs.
What surprised me most?
How common sleep apnea is—and how few people know they have it. People snore, choke at night, wake up tired, and blame stress. But many of them are struggling to breathe when they sleep.
The course showed me how oral appliances work. These are small devices placed in the mouth during sleep. They move the lower jaw forward so the airway stays open. For mild to moderate cases, it works really well—especially for people who can’t use CPAP.
I started screening my regular patients using simple questions. Do you snore? Do you wake up tired? Do you grind your teeth?
Many said yes.
I referred some for sleep studies. Others had already been diagnosed but didn’t want to use a CPAP. That’s where I came in. I made custom-fit oral appliances for them. I adjusted the devices over a few weeks. The results were real. Patients said they felt better. Their partners noticed they didn’t snore anymore.
The dental sleep medicine training also covered important things—like how to bill for these devices, how to work with sleep physicians, and how to follow up long term.
I also realized I had to stop looking at the mouth as a separate part. The jaw, tongue, and throat play a big role in breathing. I now check every patient’s airway. I ask them questions about sleep.
This training didn’t just add a new service. It helped me help people in a different way. Patients who thought they had no option now had a simple fix. And I had the tools to provide it.
I’m not saying every dentist needs to become a sleep expert. But if you’re seeing broken molars, night grinding, or TMD—you might be looking at a sleep problem, not just a dental one.
This one course opened my eyes. Now, I treat the patient, not just the teeth.
