Wake Up to SLEEP Dentistry!

The Issue:

ONE MILLION AMERICANS SNORE. A study published in Sleep Magazine found that as many as 92% of middle-aged men and 83% of middle-aged women may have undiagnosed moderate-to-severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends oral appliances and CPAP as the #1 treatments for mild and moderate Sleep Apnea. The CPAP industry generates upwards of four billion dollars each year.

Of those patients who try CPAP, 50-75% reject the mask…and are searching for an alternative.

Their search in turn creates a driving demand for appropriate treatment modalities, an availability of at least two billion dollars annually for addressing said need, and an undeniable, unprecedented opportunity for personal success, financial reward and professional fulfillment in the field of Sleep Dentistry.

The Opportunity:

For nearly 30 years, SML® has led the way in dental sleep appliances and results-driven sleep education.  We know sleep…and we know how to make it work for you.

There is no better time for integrating a new specialty into your practice. The opportunity is three-fold:

1.  EXISTING PATIENTS – Sleep patients already exist in your practice. Have you been screening your patients for sleep dysfunction?

2.  NEW PATIENT REFERRALS – Once your existing patients become satisfied sleep patients, they refer you to new patients.

3.  NEW NETWORK REFERRALS – The “new” network is created as a result of your interfacing with other sleep professionals.

Sleep Dentistry

• Is the least physical dentistry you will ever perform
• Does not impact existing dental benefits in any way
• Brings new patients into your practice - patients that bring with them a full range of general dentistry needs

MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT STATISTICS
One Sleep Appliance for One Client Per Week

Average Medicare Reimbursement: $1,200
Annual Reimbursement Revenue: $57,600

Average Medical/PPO Reimbursement: $2500 – $3100
Annual Reimbursement Revenue: $120,000 – $148,800

NOTE: Because the industry and the available appliance solutions are constantly changing, reimbursement numbers are subject to change at any time to reflect said developments.

Over the next eleven weeks, we’ll be discussing the following SLEEP topics (and we promise not to put you to sleep):

1. UNDERSTANDING SLEEP / UNDERSTANDING YOUR ROLE

2. WORKING THE DENTIST- PHYSICIAN TEAM / DIAGNOSIS, COLLECTING DATA

3. SELECTING THE CORRECT CATEGORY / FITTING & FOLLOW-UP

4. CATEGORY 1: NON-CUSTOM TEST / EMERGENCY APPLIANCES

5. CATEGORY 2: MANDIBULAR REPOSITIONERS  

6. CATEGORY 3: TONGUE CONTROLLERS

7. CATEGORY 4: DUAL ACTION APPLIANCES

8. CATEGORY 5: “WITH CPAP” APPLIANCES

9. CATEGORY 6: AFTER-WEAR REPOSITIONERS

10. GETTING PAID – THE MEDICAL MODEL

11. GETTING THE WORD OUT – MARKETING

So, stay tuned. This is going to be good!