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Panel Discussion

Oral Systemic Health

(7101) Sleep Medicine and Airway: An Interdisciplinary Dental Panel

Saturday, October 10, 2026
8:30am - 10:00am ET
CE: 1.5
Disclosure(s):
Samira Shafaee, DDS: No financial relationships to disclose
Alexander Vaughan, DDS, MS: No financial relationships to disclose
Jacy Stauffer, DMD, FAAPD, AADSM-Qualified Dentist: No financial relationships to disclose
Expand your scope and impact patient lives. Sleep-disordered breathing and airway conditions are critical yet often-overlooked contributors to oral and systemic health, positioning dentistry as essential to comprehensive patient care. Master your vital role in screening and managing sleep-related breathing disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea, through evidence-based approaches and interdisciplinary collaboration with medical colleagues. Develop the expertise to identify airway issues across patient populations—from early recognition in children through growth and development considerations in adolescents and adults. Learn oral appliance therapy protocols and understand how sleep disorders interconnect with temporomandibular disorders and orofacial pain. Discover how strategic airway assessment and management expand your clinical scope, strengthen medical partnerships and position you as a trusted resource in comprehensive airway health.

Learning Objectives:

  • Describe the relationship between airway health, sleep-disordered breathing and oral health.
  • Identify clinical signs and symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing in both adult and pediatric patients.
  • Discuss the role of dental professionals in screening and management of obstructive sleep apnea, including oral appliance therapy.
  • Recognize the connection between sleep disorders, temporomandibular disorders (TMD), and orofacial pain.
  • Explain the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between dental and medical providers when managing airway and sleep-related conditions.