February 29th, 2012 Snoring Isn’t Sexy Member, Dr. Michael Simmons, Announces California Legislation on Dentists’ Involvement in the Recognition and Treatment of Sleep Disordered Breathing
Snoring Isn’t Sexy Member, Dr. Michael Simmons, Announces California Legislation on Dentists’ Involvement in the Recognition and Treatment of Sleep Disordered Breathing
New York, NY (PRWEB) January 19, 2012
Michael Simons, DMD, a general dentist whose office is located in Tarzana, CA was instrumental in introducing legislation via the San Fernando Valley Dental Society that recognizes the importance of dentistry’s involvement in the recognition and management of sleep disordered breathing problems. This legislation clarifies the important role that dentists play in the screening for and management of sleep-breathing disorders.
Dr. Simmons’ original submitted resolutions were presented by the San Fernando Valley Dental Society and modified by the California Dental Association’s (CDA) Policy Development Council. The resolution on dentists’ involvement with snoring and sleep apnea was passed by the CDA House of Delegates. The adopted resolutions read:
“Resolved, that it is appropriate and important for dentists to screen patients for signs and symptoms of sleep disordered-breathing and to work with physicians to diagnose and treat sleep disordered breathing; be it further, resolved that the California Dental Association supports increased awareness and the education of dental professionals on appropriate involvement in the screening, diagnosis and treatment of sleep disordered breathing; and be it further, resolved that the California Dental Association supports efforts at the federal and state levels to ensure dentists are recognized members of the health care team managing sleep disordered breathing, and to ensure that patients’ health care benefits are maintained regardless of whether a dentist or physician provides patient care.”
“Dentists can play a critical role in the recognition and collaborative management of patients with sleep related breathing problems ranging from disruptive snoring to sleep apnea. Research shows about 85% of apneics have not been diagnosed and about 50% of those that are diagnosed cannot tolerate their prescribed CPAP units,” said Dr. Simmons. “The legislation recently passed in California hopefully will act as a model for other states to emphasize the important role dentistry can play in both identifying and also treating these patients.”
Dr. Simmons is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orofacial Pain and a Fellow in the American Academy of Orofacial Pain. He is a well-known educator and has taught at UCLA’s medical school, pain management center and continues to teach annually at UCLA’s dental school as he has done since 1987. In 2008 Dr. Simmons also started teaching dentists at USC dental school.
Dr. Simmons has published original research, book chapters and is a frequent expert speaker in Dental and Orofacial maladies including TMJ, Orofacial Pain and Snoring and Sleep Apnea. In 2009 Dr. Simmons published a children’s book on the perils of drowsiness called “Botts’ Dots and the Rumble Line”.
In 2010 Dr. Simmons won the Clinical Research and Clinical Excellence in Research Awards from the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. He also served as the Ethics Chairman for his local dental society of more than 1300 members and in 2011 was the continuing education program chairman.
Dr. Simmons is available to the media for comment and analysis of dental sleep medicine break-throughs and treatments. He can be reached at SnoringIsntSexy.com or at his Tarzana, or Palmdale CA offices.
About Snoring Isn’t Sexy, LLC
Snoring Isn’t Sexy, LLC was founded in 2008 by Laurence I. Barsh, DMD, a dentist who has been involved with sleep medicine since 1992 and who now devotes full time to educating the public about dentistry’s role and responsibility in the recognition and management of snoring and sleep apnea. Dr. Barsh and the dentists associated with Snoring Isn’t Sexy, LLC feel strongly that management of sleep-breathing disorders is a shared responsibility of both the medical and dental professions.
Snoring Isn’t Sexy, LLC consists of independently owned and operated affiliated offices. Visit SnoringIsntSexy.com for a directory of all participating dentists.
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