335 - Dentists’ Experience with Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Purpose: The purpose is to evaluate the training and experience dentists have with screening, evaluating, referring, and treating children with pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (POSA).

Methods: An electronic survey will be sent to the 10,800 existing members of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. The survey consists of 20 multiple-choice questions regarding experiences screening, evaluating, referring, and treating children with POSA. Demographic information, such as age, race/ethnicity, gender, and training program will be available. The survey will evaluate current information being provided in residency curriculums, what screening and diagnostic tools are available and being used, and standard operating procedures being implemented in current practices.

Results: The survey will be sent out after approval from the AAPD for use of the directory of current AAPD members. The survey will be sent out to all current members with an email on file. A reminder email will be sent 2 weeks after initial email and a final reminder email will be sent 4 weeks after initial email.

Conclusions: Early diagnosis and intervention may help decrease the morbidity caused by POSA. It is common for children to be seen more frequently by their dentist than their pediatrician or other healthcare members. The frequency of dental visits and a dentist’s knowledge of the head and neck creates a great opportunity for the dentist to play a major role in OSAS identification, treatment, and referrals with the child healthcare team. The survey will identify opportunities for educational interventions or training to improve screening and referral protocols.