Redwood Sleep Center Inc and Dental Sleep

Given RSC INC’s multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders, it is imperative that the center work with a wide array of medical professionals and  Durable Medical Equipment Companies in the different fields of sleep medicine. Just as important is the center’s recognition of the crucial role the field of dentistry plays in both the diagnostic and treatment equation.

RSC’s mission is clear and uncompromising…Patient compliance with successful therapy for sleep breathing disorder is the desired acceptable outcome. RSC is quick to recognize that successful therapy involves close consultation and communication with the patient’s dentist. This, working relationship, often result in a close and collaborative interaction between the referring professional, our medical director and the patient themselves.

Understanding the role of the Dental Professional

Often understated is the crucial role of the dental professional in the detection of sleep breathing disorders. For decades, since the formal inception of sleep medicine as part of mainstream medicine, the detection process is often left to the primary care physician. Although a logical deduction, the truth is that most primary care physician does not spend enough time discussing the underlying issues with the patient that lead to the detection of sleep disorders.

The dentist, on the other hand, once trained properly, have the time to ask the proper questions. Furthermore, the dentist only need to “look beyond the teeth” to become the leading force in the detection process. RSC has developed a proprietary questionnaire designed for the dental professional to help detect sleep breathing disorder problems. RSC also works closely with our dental partners to help them detect prospective sleep patients within their current patient database. RSC has partnered with some of the leading Dental Sleep professional to help educate and support our dental partners. 

Unlike the “empty” promises of the creation of a new pool of new dental sleep patients from competing Dental Sleep Programs, RSC begins with the simple premise that the most logical starting point to launch into the Dental Sleep field is to simply acknowledge that the path to “least resistance” is to tap into one’s current patient database. RSC will provide the necessary support to educate the dentist on the proper screening protocol and more importantly, provide the appropriate medical alliance to support the detection and treatment of this life threatening disease. For the dental professional, this elevates their practice beyond general dentistry and gets them into a new field that is currently considered the fastest the growing field in BOTH the dental and medical field. RSC, in partnership with our experienced dental partners, will train incoming dental practitioners on the proper application of the appropriate dental appliances.

In polling the dental professional, the number one barrier to entry is the inability of the dental and medical field to create a symbiotic relationship. The program between RSC and the participating dental partner closes this very important gap.

The “other” problem

So many sleep apnea patients were prescribed cpap, the gold standard for treatment, and yet so many patients are non-compliant. In polling some of the leading Durable Medical Equipment companies that have a strong patient compliance program, non-compliance of cpap is identified as the number issue for the none treatment of sleep apnea. Given the life threatening nature of this disease, it is unethical as a medical or dental professional to simply ignore this “hidden” problem. It is NOT unusual to have non-compliance rate to be as high as 50%. What this means is that 1 out of 2 patient is unnecessarily at risk.

Solution:
The RSC team is a completely unique group of medical and dental professionals who are committed to providing excellence in diagnosis and treatment of patients with sleep disordered breathing.

To this end, RSC work with our DME partners who will provide a full line of cpap devices and supplies. We have also formulated a partnership with specially trained dental professionals who custom fit oral appliances designed to help ameliorate sleep disordered breathing. Just as important, our DME partners follow patients post-treatment in order to maximize the potential for compliance and success. This involves an ongoing outreach to patients who have been prescribed therapy. Patients are called 24 hours, 72 hours, 30 days, 3 months, and every six months post titration. This follow-up program is conducted by respiratory therapists and RPSGT technicians so that patients receive clinical care…not a salesperson.

The RSC philosophy is that we will find some combination between traditional cpap therapy and/or the application of custom fitted oral appliances to bring all of our patients into compliance with obstructive sleep apnea therapy.

RSC is proud to be one of a handful of Sleep Diagnostic Treatment Facility in the country who brings this philosophy of OSA therapy compliance to affected patients.