Refer a Patient for Oral Appliance Therapy
For adults with diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea who cannot tolerate CPAP or would like to discuss an alternative, we offer a physician-coordinated pathway from dental evaluation through custom appliance care and long-term monitoring.
Fax referrals: (623) 566-1331.
Restful Sleep Center manages the dental component of custom oral appliance therapy for appropriate adults with obstructive sleep apnea. Your medical team remains responsible for diagnosis and medical management. We work together on treatment decisions, efficacy assessment, and ongoing follow-up.
Effective for CPAP-Intolerant Patients
Oral sleep appliances offer a practical solution for patients who cannot tolerate or consistently use CPAP therapy.
Comfortable and Convenient
Oral appliances are compact and non-invasive, making them easier to incorporate into daily routines.
Collaborative Care
Oral sleep appliances complement CPAP by providing an alternative pathway for comprehensive sleep apnea management.
Adherence Matters
CPAP and custom oral appliance therapy are effective options for obstructive sleep apnea, with different benefits and limitations. The AASM/AADSM guideline supports oral appliance therapy for adults with OSA who cannot tolerate CPAP or prefer an alternative. Treatment decisions should consider the diagnosis, medical needs, patient preference, consistent use, and objectively verified treatment response.
Improves Quality of Life
For an appropriate patient who struggles to use CPAP consistently, oral appliance therapy may improve sleep-related symptoms and quality of life when its response is assessed.
Minimally Invasive Solution
A custom oral appliance is a non-surgical, mask-free option that is portable and does not need electricity during use.
What happens when you refer a patient
The medical clinician establishes the diagnosis and directs medical management. Restful Sleep Center provides and monitors the dental component of oral appliance therapy. The steps below show how care moves between teams.
1. Referral and records
We review the referral, diagnostic sleep-study report, treatment order or prescription when applicable, and relevant history.
2. Dental evaluation
Dr. Dawson examines oral health, teeth, bite, and jaw joints and discusses whether a custom appliance is suitable.
3. Treatment decision
We review the patient’s options, expected process, limitations, and potential dental or jaw side effects.
4. Fabrication and delivery
For an appropriate candidate, we select and fit a custom, titratable appliance and teach its use and care.
5. Titration
We adjust the device gradually while monitoring comfort, symptoms, dental changes, and tolerance.
6. Efficacy assessment
We coordinate with the medical team for appropriate objective follow-up testing. Symptom improvement alone does not establish adequate control.
7. Report and coordination
We coordinate relevant dental findings with the referring clinician and discuss further medical review or treatment changes through the appropriate care-team channel.
8. Long-term monitoring
Periodic dental visits assess appliance condition, teeth, bite, jaw joints, and continued use.
Records and communication
When available, send the diagnostic sleep-study report, reason for referral, relevant medical history, and any treatment order or prescription required for the patient’s care. Our team can clarify additional documentation or benefit-investigation needs for an individual case. Fax the completed referral form and available diagnostic sleep-study records to (623) 566-1331, or call us to arrange another secure records-transfer method.
We coordinate treatment decisions and efficacy assessment with the medical team. If an appliance cannot be tolerated or dental, bite, or jaw-joint concerns change the treatment plan, we discuss those findings with the referring clinician so the patient’s options can be reassessed. For coordination questions, call (623) 566-1310.
Interested in a Lunch & Learn?
We can discuss our dental sleep medicine workflow with your office. Contact us and select “Lunch & Learn” as the reason for your inquiry.
Professional Resources
Review the clinical evidence supporting custom oral appliance therapy and contact us when you would like to discuss a patient or coordinate care.
Send a Patient Referral
Fax the completed referral form and available diagnostic sleep-study report to (623) 566-1331. Include your office contact information so we can follow up about the referral.
Download the referral form (PDF). For referral coordination or help arranging another secure records-transfer method, call (623) 566-1310.
For general office questions or a Lunch & Learn inquiry, contact our team. Please do not include patient names, medical records, or other patient information in the general inquiry form.