Dentaltown July 2015 - (Page 88)

public health feature by Howard G. Hindin, DDS AIRWAY HEALTH: Dentistry's Role in the Hidden Key to Wellness Peter Kalantzis suffered from sleep apnea and died at 36. Connor Deegan was 11, exhibiting violent behavior and failing in school when his hidden airway/ sleep disorder (ASD) was uncovered-and treated. Connor's life changed. He no longer exhibits aggressive outbursts and now is getting A's and B's. Connor's mother, Valerie, and Peter's sister, Anna, are two of the devoted board members of Foundation for Airway Health (FAH), a nonprofit dedicated to raising public and practitioner awareness about airway/ sleep disorders. They are two of the passionate missionaries working to save lives and human potential-and they need your help. Fifty percent of patients seen at a dental practice may have an airway/sleep disorder. How many of them can you identify? How many of them are you recognizing? We use the term "airway/sleep disorders" because airway is more than sleep and sleep is more than airway. ASD is a major public health issue. It is pervasive, affecting all corners of our society. We call it a "hidden problem." Often unrecognized, ASD can be expressed in many ways: as chronic disease and systemic inflammation; as behavior and mental health problems; and as learning and performance difficulties. Patients and their families suffering with these problems rarely have their possible ASD issues screened, let alone diagnosed and treated. The current interest in sleep is the beginning of a paradigm shift in dentistry and health care. As dentists and hygienists, you are uniquely positioned to be leaders for change. Breathing is the most prioritized physiological 88 JULY 2015 // dentaltown.com function. The air we require for life enters only thorough the nose and mouth. You are spending time looking at every patient's airway, every day. Whether you know it or not, you are changing patients' airways and their physiology for better or worse. It is estimated that currently only 15 to 20 percent of patients with sleep disorders are diagnosed. This number does not include those whose structures and physiological function will cause future problems. The good news is, there is no need to raise millions of dollars to find a cure or prevention for ASD. Successful treatment already exists. The need is for the public and health-care practitioners to uncover the "hidden airway problem," and to raise awareness among patients and practitioners to recognize what they are seeing every day. Several years ago, FAH board member Dr. Michael Gelb coined the term "AirwayCentric" to reflect his belief in a paradigm shift where the development, protection and restoration of the airway becomes a priority, and diagnosis and treatment happen in collaboration, across disciplines. Treatment does not end with the delivery of a sleep appliance. Restorative, orthodontic and even periodontal treatment must include an airway/sleep assessment and, if necessary, treatment. How to begin: start identifying ASD patients tomorrow The airway can be restricted by the structure and function of the nose and mouth. The first step is for http://www.dentaltown.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown July 2015

On Dentaltown.com
Howard Speaks: The Sweetest Taboo
Professional Courtesy: Power Through Participation
Continuing Education Update
Digital Impressions
Tips for Hiring New Team Members
Probing Systems That can Make a Difference in Your Practice
The Six Ways Staff Incentives are Revolutionizing the Dental Industry
A Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Case
4th of July Emergency
Orthodontic Treatment in the General Dentistry Office
Industry News
TRIBUTE: DR. JOE STEVEN JR. The Story of a Legend, and the Legacy He Left Behind
TRIBUTE: DR. JOE STEVEN JR. Maybe We Should Ban Amalgam … a Profession Divided
TRIBUTE: DR. JOE STEVEN JR. Where are the Olives in Your Practice?
Why Mobile-First Really Means User-First
Continuing Education: Past, Present and Future Trends in Today’s Implantology
Airway Health: Dentistry’s Role in the Hidden Key to Wellness
Product Profi le: Accutron
Staff Pay and Rewards
The Whys and Hows of Adult Sedation Dentistry
A Review of “Uncomplicate Business”
Townie Choice Awards Product Showcase
Poll
Going the Extra Mile in Marketing
Ad Index
e.max—Matching a Dark Central
Product Profi le: Synergy
Dentally Incorrect

Dentaltown July 2015