Obstructive Sleep Apnea for Registered Dental Assistants
Continuing education for auxiliary team members in Edmonton, Alberta
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What you'll learn | Pricing and details | Faculty
What you will learn
This course will teach the basics of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) pathophysiology and how dental appliances can be a fundamental treatment. In our hands-on environment, dental assistants will gain training and experience in the:
- Role of sleep testing, and its limitations
- Necessary records and documentation
- Support role for sleep cases
- Set up of basic OSA equipment
- Common patient questions
What is normal sleep?
A productive day starts with good sleep, and it’s estimated that 80% of people with OSA are undiagnosed — leaving a large subset of the population with a lack of proper sleep. Learn how to discuss sleep and breathing physiology with your patients to discover if their condition is normal or pathologic.
Pathophysiology of OSA
You’ll dig into the ‘why’ of sleep-disordered breathing to understand when hypoxia and sleep fragmentation happen and how to manage the obstructions. The course will integrate unbiased and cutting-edge technologies with sleep studies to learn the devices and therapy options, such as myofunctional therapy and morning repositioning devices.
OSA and oral health care
It takes a team of health-care practitioners working in tandem to identify, diagnose and treat sleep apnea. Every practitioner needs to communicate effectively to understand expectations and select the best path for the patient. You’ll learn how dental assistants fit into the process with dentists, registered dental hygienists, sleep specialists, medical doctors and otolaryngologists.
Questions?
Contact us at dentce@ualberta.ca
Pricing and details
This course is 16 hours of class time. Most classes run on two Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Course dates are selected when registering, and further details will be sent closer to the date.
Course fees include:
- Lunches and refreshments
- Additional course reference materials
- Building on connections with participants and instructors
- Letter of attendance to use towards continuing competence
- Maximum class size of 10 participants
- All materials are provided
Online materials are accessible for one year.
Prerequisites
- Active practicing license from a regulatory authority in Canada.
Our leading faculty
Dr. Enoch Ng
OSA program director and general dentist
Dr. Ng, DDS, received his doctor of dental surgery degree at the University of Minnesota.
He is currently pursuing his certificate in pain management through the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta and is also a graduate student at the University of Alberta’s School of Dentistry with his thesis in dental sleep medicine.
Dr. Michael Major
OSA program director and orthodontist
Dr. Major, DMD, MSc, FRCDC, is the director of the Interdisciplinary Airway Research Clinic, a 10-year collaboration between the Stollery Children’s Hospital and the University of Alberta School of Dentistry.
He also holds an academic appointment with the University of Alberta as an active researcher in pediatric sleep, and serves as co-president of Alberta Dental Sleep Medicine study club.
Clinically he practices at Verve Orthodontics and The Snore Centre, where he serves as clinical director of pediatrics in Canada’s first community based, multi-disciplinary, dental sleep medicine clinic.
Questions?
Contact us at dentce@ualberta.ca
Future dates
Are you looking for different course dates? The new course schedules will be available in August.
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