Dear Physicians,
Thank you for your interest in oral appliance therapy for your patients with sleep disordered breathing.
As the recommended treatment for sleep apnea, PAP has many benefits for the patient who is willing and able to use it in a compliant manner. However, you may also have seen that, for some, complying with PAP is a challenge. These patients may be coming back to your office looking for advice and recommendations on alternative treatments. Oral appliance therapy is a proven, effective treatment option for mild to moderate OSA:
- Custom-fitted oral appliances can be highly effective in creating and maintaining an open airway during sleep
- Oral appliance therapy is supported by AASM practice parameters and clinical guidelines (Mild and Moderate OSA, Non-compliant PAP patients). “AASM recommends that sleep physicians consider prescription of oral appliances, rather than no treatment, for adult patients with obstructive sleep apnea who are intolerant of CPAP therapy or prefer alternate therapy”. JDSM 2015 Guidelines Update
- Oral appliance therapy delivers a strong patient compliance rate
As a referring physician, you will be sent updates on treatment progress or non- compliance. An appliance validation sleep study is highly recommended, therefore, the patient will be referred back to you for an HST or an attended polysomnography.
All we need from your office is a completed Referral Forms faxed or emailed to our office. We will then contact the patient and verify their medical insurance.
I have tried to make the communication between medicine and dentistry as simple as possible. After entering this specialized field, I have found that the communication between physicians and dentist is rare and sometimes confusing. Therefore, it has been my priority to close the gap between us. The simple Referral Forms is all you need to send us to get your patient started on Oral Appliance Therapy. If we need further information, we will contact your office.
Note: We need just a few pieces of information from you to start the process of medical insurance processing and treatment.
- Signed prescription and statement of medical necessity (on Referral Forms),
- Copy of Diagnostic Sleep Test,
- Chart notes from face-to-face consultation for referral to our office. (Medicare),
- Referral Reference number if applicable (medical insurance network specific).
Thank you and I look forward to successfully aiding in the overall health of your patients.
Professionally,
Brent Patterson DDS