The American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM) will launch a “Mastery Program” in September of this year. According to the AADSM, it will be a “comprehensive educational program will ensure that dentists have the necessary training and skills to provide oral appliance therapy (OAT) to patients with sleep-related breathing disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and snoring.”

AADSM president Harold A. Smith, DDS, says in a release, “With more and more Americans being diagnosed with sleep apnea, there’s a growing need for dentists who are highly skilled in dental sleep medicine. By creating a standard education program, we can ensure that dentists have the necessary training and education requirements to prove that they are experts in this field and capable of providing optimal patient care.”

The Mastery Program will consist of 65 total hours of learning split into three different sessions (Mastery I, Mastery II, and Mastery III). Each session will consist of 2.5 days of in-person courses and will provide 20 ADA CERP [American Dental Association Continuing Education Recognition Program] hours. Mastery I will provide an additional 5 continuing education hours due to the prerequisites that attendees must complete ahead of time. In addition to the in-person courses, dentists will also be required to complete clinical work between courses.

After completing Mastery I, attendees will be eligible to earn the Qualified Dentist Designation. The Mastery Program also offers a new pathway for dentists to achieve the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine (ABDSM) Diplomate status. Individuals who complete all three Mastery sessions will be eligible to sit for the ABDSM certification examination. So this new program can help dentists fulfill the necessary requirements to achieve the Diplomate designation.

“Being an ABDSM Diplomate is a prestigious status that requires a commitment to continuing education as well as dedication to our field. We encourage all dentists who want to provide oral appliance therapy to get the requisite training through the Mastery Program and become ABDSM Diplomates,” Smith says.