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Introduction to the Dental Sleep Medicine Fellowship Program

The University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, offers a specialized Dental Sleep Medicine Fellowship Program within its esteemed Orthodontic Department. This program is designed to prepare orthodontists for excellence in the field of sleep medicine.

Program Overview

The Dental Sleep Medicine Fellowship Program aims to provide superior patient care, robust teaching, innovative clinical research, and extensive clinical exposure to dental sleep medicine. The program collaborates with Stanford's sleep medicine program and the San Francisco VA Hospital's sleep surgery program to ensure a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach.

Curriculum and Clinical Experience

The program provides an in-depth curriculum that integrates theoretical knowledge with practical clinical experience. Fellows will gain hands-on training in the latest diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for managing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and other sleep disorders using dental appliances and orthodontic interventions.

Clinical Focus

The program focuses on the following areas:

• Oral appliance therapy (mandibular advancement devices (MADs))
• Orthodontic growth modification for growing patients with sleep-disordered breathing
• Rapid palatal expansion, mini-screw assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE)
• Surgical orthodontics
• Maxillomandibular advancement orthodontic set-up
• Distraction osteogenesis maxillary expansion (DOME)

Rotations and Collaborations

Fellows will participate in rotations at the Dugoni School's Dental Sleep Medicine Clinic, Stanford University's Sleep Medicine Center, and the San Francisco VA Hospital's Sleep Surgery Clinic. These rotations will provide fellows with a comprehensive understanding of sleep medicine and dental sleep medicine.

Research Opportunities

Fellows are encouraged to participate in research activities to explore various issues related to sleep medicine. The program provides access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources to support research endeavors.

Collaborative Research Activity

Faculty and fellows from the three programs (Pacific Dental Sleep Medicine Fellowship, Stanford Sleep Medicine, and San Francisco VA Hospital's Sleep Surgery) will collaborate to conduct high-level sleep research. These collaborative efforts aim to obtain external funding from sources including the American Association of Orthodontists Foundation (AAOF), the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Program Details

Application Process, Requirements, Program Length, and Tuition

• Program Length: 12 months
• Tuition: $67,000 (subject to an estimated 3% annual increase)
• Application Deadline: November 15
• Requirements:
  • DMD, DDS, or BDS degree and a certificate of orthodontics
  • International applicants: TOEFL or IELTS test score
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Personal statement including explanation of interest in this program
  • Transcripts dental school and orthodontic residency (for international applicants, only evaluations by ECE will be accepted)
  • Two references
  • Complete University of the Pacific application

Courses and Lectures

Fellows will be enrolled in AADSM's Mastery I & II program and will participate in sleep lecture series, article reviews, research seminars, and interdisciplinary case conferences throughout the program. Lectures will be conducted by faculty members and guest speakers on topics relevant to somnology and general and dental sleep medicine.

Sample Courses

• AADSM's Mastery I & II program
• Dental Sleep Medicine Seminars I, II, and III
• Clinical Management of Sleep Apnea Patients I, II, and III
• Overview of TMD and orofacial pain disorders
• Management of medical compromised patients
• Human growth and development
• Sleep Apnea and Snoring - surgical and non-surgical therapy
• Interdisciplinary complex cases seminars
• Research methodology
• Introduction to Biostatistics
• Epidemiology and Critical Thinking in the Practice of Dentistry

Competency Standards and Assessment

Faculty will continuously evaluate fellows during clinical activities, focusing on collaborative patient-centered care, informal assessment of cognitive skills, and teaching discussions. A bimonthly evaluation is done based on the following competencies:

1. Patient Care:
   • Perform a thorough medical history and examination
   • Order appropriate diagnostic tests
   • Reading and interpretation of sleep studies
   • Develop a clinical assessment and treatment plan; establish short and long-term follow-up care
   • Interact with other health care providers
2. General Knowledge:
   • Access and critically evaluate current medical information and scientific evidence relevant to sleep medicine and dental sleep medicine.
3. Practice-Based Learning and Improvement:
   • Identify and acknowledge gaps in personal knowledge and skills
   • Clinical case presentations
   • Presentation during articles reviews
   • Participation in research projects and publications.
4. Interpersonal Skills and Communication:
   • Communicate effectively with patients
   • Communicate effectively with sleep physicians, sleep surgeons, and other health care professionals
   • Presentations in clinical case conferences.
5. Professionalism:
   • Carry out professional responsibilities and adhere to ethical principles
   • Complete assigned duties, which includes clinical record documentation
   • Attend required conferences
   • Adhere to the principles of good clinical practice and patient safety
   • Behave professionally towards patients, families, colleagues, and all members of the health care team.

Board Certification in Dental Sleep Medicine

The process to become board certified in dental sleep medicine is managed through the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine (ABDSM). Fellows will be encouraged to take the board examination and will be guided during the application process. Emphasis is placed upon training the fellow to the standards for board certification.

Meet Our Team

The program is led by a team of experienced faculty members, including:

• Co-Program Director: Audrey Yoon, DDS, MS
• Co-Program Director: Mark Vaughan
• Heesoo Oh
• Joorok Park
• Rishi Jay Gupta, DDS, MD, MBA, FACS
• Rebeka Silva DMD, FACD
• Andrew Young

Dental Sleep Medicine Fellows

The program has a strong track record of producing skilled and knowledgeable dental sleep medicine fellows, including:

• Dr. Jocelyn Hor
• Eugene Y. Kim DDS, MBA
• Dr. Khaled Alotaibi
• Maryam Arab, BDM, MSD