Abstract
Purpose: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most commonly undiagnosed sleep disorder and is gaining more recognition in dentistry. Dental hygienists are at a pivotal position to discuss risks, characteristics, medical referrals and treatment options for OSA, as well as detect if an individual has OSA through questionnaires and other tools that can be done during an examination. Dental hygienists need to receive appropriate education about OSA and should be well versed in their knowledge to educate patients. The purpose of this literature review is to identify the role of the dental hygienist in detecting the risk of OSA and gain knowledge on the topic in order to educate patients.
Footnotes
Elizabeth C. Kornegay, RDH, BSDH was a Bachelor of Science Degree candidate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) at the time of this submission. She is currently a second year graduate student at UNC in the Dental Hygiene Education Master of Science Degree Program. Jennifer L. Brame, RDH, MS, is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Dental Ecology at the University if North Carolina School of Dentistry.
This study supports the NDHRA priority area, Clinical Dental Hygiene Care: Investigate how dental hygienists identify patients who are at-risk for oral/systemic disease.
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