Cambridge Section - Introduction to dental sleep medicine: the dentist’s role in sleep health

What to expect

This lecture provides an introduction to dental sleep medicine and the increasingly important role of the dental team in the screening and management of sleep disordered breathing. Attendees will gain an overview of common sleep-related breathing disorders, including obstructive sleep apnoea and chronic snoring, and their impact on overall health and wellbeing.

The session will explore the role of the dental professional in screening patients at risk of sleep disordered breathing within general practice, including the use of patient questionnaires and clinical assessment. Management approaches will also be discussed, with a focus on mandibular advancement devices and the importance of multidisciplinary care in improving patient outcomes.

Timings

18:00 Registration 

18:30 Buffet and networking

19:15 Lecture - Clare Simon

21:00 End

Learning objectives

• Understand the importance of sleep and its impact on health

• Recognise the signs and explore the impact of sleep disordered breathing, including obstructive sleep apnoea and snoring

• Understand screening and referral pathways

• Describe the role of mandibular advancement devices in the management of obstructive sleep apnoea and snoring.

Development outcome

C

Meet the speaker

Clare Simon is a leading UK dentist with a dedicated focus in dental sleep medicine, with extensive experience in the management of obstructive sleep apnoea and chronic snoring. She is the founder of the London Dental Sleep Clinic and Director of Dental Sleep Medicine UK for BlueSleep UK.

Alongside her private practice, Clare works within multidisciplinary teams at the Royal National ENT Hospital and Eastman Dental Hospital (UCLH). A graduate of King’s College London Dental School, she holds Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery and was one of the first UK dentists to complete a Postgraduate Certificate in Dental Sleep Medicine.

She is a former board member of the British Society of Dental Sleep Medicine and regularly lectures and delivers training courses for dentists in the field. In 2024, she co-founded Airway School, an educational platform focused on dental sleep medicine and airway health.