Dental sleep medicine

Sleep Medicine: From Dentistry to Obstructive Sleep Apnea

April 30, 2025 6:50 pm

From Dentistry to Sleep Apnea Care

Dental sleep medicine is one of the most underdiagnosed areas of healthcare—and yet, breathing is the most fundamental thing we do to stay alive. Helping people breathe better at night has become my passion, because no one should struggle silently with something so critical to their health and quality of life.    

Here is my “why” of how RespAirSleep began:

In my early days running a general dental practice, my schedule was packed with hygiene checks, crowns, fillings, bite rehabilitation, and everything in between. It was during this time that I met a teenage patient whose case would completely change the course of my career. She came to me with her mother, complaining of debilitating TMJ pain that was causing severe headaches. Her mother explained they were also navigating significant personal stress, so we initially thought an occlusal guard might help—hoping to reduce the pressure from clenching and grinding during sleep. We approached it like many cases: manage the symptoms, give her some relief, and monitor her progress. But she only got worse. This bright, straight-A student, who was up for several competitive scholarships, began to experience an alarming decline. Her grades dropped. Her energy vanished. No matter what therapies we tried—splints, physical therapy, stress management—we couldn’t seem to relieve her pain, fatigue, or general malaise. Blood work ordered by her primary care physician came back normal. We were stuck. Until one day, during a routine visit, I happened to look more closely at her airway. Her tonsils were enlarged. Her soft palate crowded her throat. Her dental arches were severely constricted. It suddenly hit me: she could barely breathe.  On instinct, I recommended a referral to an ENT (ear, nose, and throat specialist). The ENT evaluated her and ordered a sleep study. The results were staggering: she had one of the most severe cases of obstructive sleep apnea he had ever seen in someone her age. She underwent a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy soon after, and within six months, the transformation was nothing short of remarkable.    

That moment changed everything for me. I realized: How had I not properly evaluated her airway sooner?

It opened my eyes to the world of Dental Sleep Medicine—something that, even today, is still not widely understood. Immediately, my entire team and I traveled to Chicago for our first formal training.  Though my practice remained busy with general dentistry, we made airway screening part of every hygiene visit. Airway patency became a central part of our philosophy. Even with our growing practice and limited time, I felt a pull—I wanted to do more. I attended as many courses as I could each year, but it was never quite enough.   Fast forward to today: I sold my general practice and transitioned fully into practicing dental sleep medicine. After hundreds of hours of advanced education, earning several diplomate designations, and treating countless patients, I realize this field is so vast and ever-evolving that I will never stop learning.   And that’s what makes it so fulfilling.   – Dr. Ashley DeSaix  

Ready to take control of your sleep and stop snoring for good?

Schedule your free consultation with RespAirSleep today and discover if an oral appliance is right for you!   Connect with us on Linkedin to hear more stories and gain more insight on just how important learning about how your sleep patterns can affect your overall health.

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