Omaha, Neb-based Roger Roubal, DDS, was named president of the American Board of Craniofacial Dental Sleep Medicine (ABCDSM).
The ABCDSM traces its origins back to the American Board of Craniofacial Pain (ABCP). In the 1990s, several ABCP diplomates and members of the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain (AACP) began exploring the complex interrelationship between sleep disorders, craniofacial pain, and temporomandibular joint disorders. Initially, the certification in Craniofacial Dental Sleep Medicine was offered by the ABCP, but as interest in sleep apnea and its treatment have grown, it became clear that a separate board was necessary, and the ABCDSM was formed.
The ABCDSM oversees a credentialing of candidates who want to demonstrate their proficiency in treating sleep apnea using oral appliances and other dental techniques.
Roubal says in a release: “What excites me most about this position is that it gives me the opportunity to help shape the next generation of sleep dentists. Dentists are uniquely qualified to provide treatment for sleep apnea, which is really a craniofacial disorder as much as a respiratory one.”
