Monthly Archives: April 2016

Oral Appliance Therapy, Public Awareness, Sleep Medicine, Sleep Organizations

Arizona Cardinals Join ASBA, Phoenix Police, and Pro Player Health Alliance For The Worlds Largest Sleep Apnea Awareness Event

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20160126_chadiwck_19.33.50                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Pro Player Health Alliance is an organization dedicated to helping treat former NFL players who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). As a result these superstar athletes then become more than just patients, but every day people who publicly support and spread the awareness of OSA at events across the nation. With a combined effort of former NFL greats, local establishments and public figures, the community as a whole can unite to direct potential patients toward dental/medical professionals who can help.

 

The next Pro Player Health Alliance event, aimed at improving awareness and undersDavid Gergen Larry Fitzgerald Roy Green Alan Hickey Randy Claretanding of sleep related disorders in the general public, is also a fundraiser to benefit the Phoenix Police Foundation. In addition, it will be the first official celebration to kick off the new season for the Arizona Cardinals. Shining a light on life threatening health complications that can be caused by allowing OSA to go untreated has become a primary objective for the Arizona Cardinals since partnering with Pro Player Health Alliance. Location and time of the public awareness event and fundraiser will be Tuesday September 6, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. to close at Padre Murphy’s 4338 West Bell Road, Phoenix AZ 85308. It is expected that this event will draw over 5,000 thousand attendees.

Roy Green, NFL legend and former Cardinals WR/DB has said, “If I had met David Gergen years ago, I may not have had to experience having a heart attack, let alone three heart attacks and two strokes. I am extremely grateful for what he’s done for me and my former teammates and I’m glad to be a part of spreading awareness on sleep apnea so others don’t have to go through what I did.”

Pro Player Health Alliance President David Gergen, owner of Gergen’s Sleep Appliance Lab and Executive Director of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy is an icon throughout the dental sleep community and will be the MC for the event. David will be on hand to help the public meet their favorite player and to share his extensive knowledge of sleep disorders including the dental treatment of sleep apnea.

David Gergen on stage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Over the years more and more retired NFL greats have contacted me regarding their sleep apnea. I am happy to refer them to a dentist or medical doctor who can help them. It became very obvious that the general population was having the same issue. Roy Green and I decided to help the retired players and improve awareness of sleep disorders by promoting large public events.” – David Gergen

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ASBA First Amendment Action Time FMCSA-2015-0419

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“In the Matter of Medical Certification of Transportation Workers in Safety Sensitive Positions; Individuals Exhibiting Risk Factors for Moderate-to-Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea”

FMCSA-2015-0419 – Deadline for Comment is June 8, 2016

Dear Colleagues,

Following up on the FMCSA-2015-0419 presentation during the recent Sleep & Wellness conference on behalf of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy, please note the following important instructions with regards to comment.

a) Review comments

https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=FMCSA-2015-0419

b) Add comment

https://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=FMCSA-2015-0419-0001

When commenting:

i. Present your credentials and relevant experience. Be sure to mention you are a member of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy ‘ASBA’.

ii. Be concise and support your claims

iii. Add scientific evidence from dental sleep medicine sources and literature. Include scientific studies on oral appliance therapy and your own experience as an expert.

iv. Address trade-offs and opposing views.

v. Include the costs and benefits to patients of your approach.  It is especially important for oral appliance therapy to address costs and compliance.

Comments are not votes, but one well supported comment is more influential than a thousand form letters.

The ASBA needs to speak up with one voice about this important issue.

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Sleep in the News

First Amendment Action Time!

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Marty Russo, a retired Congressman, addressed the American Sleep and Breathing Association annual meeting last weekend with a strong call to action.

The commissions that oversee Railroad Operators and the Trucking industry have opened a public comment time for critical  rule making associated with treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea.  Marty talked about searching the current public comments and finding only one mentioning dentists at all, so he put together  an action sheet.  If we want the regulators to hear about oral appliances, it’s completely up to us to ‘petition our government,’ a right enshrined in our Constitution just for this very purpose.
Here’s what he advises us to do:
Dental Sleep Medicine Has A Big Opportunity
Speak Up To Federal Policy Makers – Let’s Be Heard In Washington
The Opportunity: 
The U.S. Department of Transportation has requested public comments on proposed rulemaking about screening, diagnosing, treating and tracking compliance for OSA in individuals occupying safety sensitive positions in highway and rail transportation.  These agencies need input from experts on the science of dental sleep medicine.
 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
Federal Railway Administration (FRA)
 How You Can Prepare:
Read the announcement outlining the proposed rulemaking. There are twenty specific questions about OSA that cover the areas of most interest to federal policy makers.  Address the questions that most closely align with your expertise.  The announcement can be located by going to your Internet browser and searching for these two docket numbers:
FMCSA-2015-0419
FRA-2015-0111
 What You Can Do:
Online:  Go to www.regulations.gov.  Search separately for each docket number listed above. Follow instructions to make comments on each docket number.
  • Present your credentials and relevant experience.
  • Be concise and support your claims.
  • Use scientific evidence from dental sleep medicine. Include scientific studies on oral appliance therapy and your own experience as an expert.  There is the ability to upload documents that support your position.
  • Address trade-offs and opposing views.
  • Include the costs and benefits to patients of your approach. It is especially important for oral appliance therapy to address costs and compliance.
  • Do not attempt any perceived commercialization for your product of services
  • Comments are not votes, but one well supported comment is more influential than a thousand form letters.
DEADINE FOR COMMENTS IS JUNE 8, 2016, 11:59 pm ET
DO NOT let this opportunity pass us by.  If we don’t impress our views on the rule-makers, years will  pass before we can have this chance again.
David Gergen CDT

David Gergen CDT

David Gergen, CDT and President of Pro Player Health Alliance, has been a nationally respected dental lab technician for over 25 years. He received the award for “The Finest Orthodontic Technician in the Country” given by Columbus Dental in 1986. He also has been appointed Executive Director of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy Dental Division, a national interdisciplinary academy dedicated to sleep training and education with over 60,000 members. David rolled out of bed on December 4, 1982 and had his career “ah ha” moment. He knew he was going to be an orthodontic technician and he knew he was going to help people all over the country to help treat their sleep disorders in partnership with their dentists. He has worked for some of the pioneers in the orthodontic and sleep dentistry fields. He was the personal technician for the likes of Dr. Robert Ricketts, Dr. Ronald Roth, Dr. A. Paul Serrano, Dr. Clark Jones, Dr. Harold Gelb, Dr. Joseph R. Cohen, Dr. Rodney Willey, Dr. Allan Bernstein, and Dr. Thien Pham. One of his proudest achievements is receiving The National Leadership award for Arizona Small Businessman of the Year in 2004.

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