Supplementary Requirements
To fulfill all requirements and attain "Diplomate, American Board of Craniofacial Dental Sleep Medicine" status, you must:
- Submit a completed application including all required documentation and payment of the application fee in full;
- Successfully complete the Craniofacial Dental Sleep Medicine written credentialing examination; AND,
- Submit satisfactory documentation of completion of all supplementary requirements as specified below.
Candidates for ABCDSM Diplomate status must submit satisfactory documentation of completion of the following supplementary requirements upon application, at the time of the written examination, or within one year of sitting for the written examination for ABCDSM Diplomate status:
- A minimum of fifty (50) hours of dental sleep medicine continuing education credits, which have been earned in the immediate five (5) years prior to the date of your written application (see "Exhibit A"). Credits shall be approved on a similar basis as that of other specialty boards. ADA CERP and/or AGD PACE approved continuing dental education course credits may be used to fulfill this requirement. Up to ten (10) AMA PRA Category 1™ sleep-related credits may also be included as part of the required fifty (50) hours.
- Written documentation from a board-certified sleep physician (i.e., MD, DO or PhD) that you have completed at least ten (10) hours of on-site sleep medicine observation, which must include a minimum of five (5) hours witnessing the operations of an accredited sleep laboratory [i.e., interactions between patients and laboratory staff; preparation for, and administration of, polysomnograms (PSGs); data acquisition, etc.]. Additional hours necessary to fulfill this requirement may also include time in the office of a board-certified sleep physician reviewing PSG scoring and interpretation, sleep medicine and dental sleep medicine practice parameters, therapeutic interventions, plus treatment compliance rates and outcomes. (Note: The sleep physician who furnishes the documentation, which should be clearly labeled Exhibit B, must be personally associated with the sleep laboratory at which you choose to do your observation.)
- A total of ten (10) patient case histories, which must include five (5) patient case summaries listed on a spreadsheet) plus five (5) expanded patient case studies. You must be the primary patient care provider for each case you submit.
- Patient Case Summaries: (see "Exhibit C") A total of five (5) Patient Case Summaries are required. For each case, the pre-treatment PSG must be formally interpreted by a board-certified sleep physician (i.e., MD, DO or PhD) whose diagnosis must reflect an AHI >10 and be clearly documented. The post-treatment PSG must also be interpreted by a board-certified sleep physician.
Home sleep tests (HSTs) may be utilized as pre- and post-treatment PSGs when read and scored by a board-certified sleep physician. HSTs that are not read and scored by a board-certified sleep physician are not acceptable, and cannot be used to document pre- or post-treatment AHI.
At least three (3) of the required five (5) Patient Case Summaries must be successful responders with post-treatment AHI reduced in half plus relief of subjective symptoms. Two (2) Patient Case Summaries of unsuccessful or non-responders, either surgical or non-surgical, may be included. Patient case summaries involving non-responders must be accompanied by detailed written explanations of possible reasons for non-responses to treatment.
- Expanded Patient Case Studies: (see " Exhibits D-1 through D-5"): Five (5) Expanded Patient Case studies are required. Pre-treatment and post-treatment PSGs for each case 1) may be administered at an accredited sleep laboratory or as a home sleep test, 2) must be read and scored by a board-certified sleep physician, and 3) must document successful cases in patients with pre-treatment AHI >10 and post-treatment AHI reduced by one-half plus relief of subjective symptoms.
Documentation of pre-treatment PSG and diagnosis by a board-certified sleep physician must be included whether the PSG is administered at an accredited sleep laboratory or as a home sleep study. Post-treatment PSG must also be read and scored by a board-certified sleep physician, and may also be completed at an accredited sleep laboratory or as a home sleep study.
The above-mentioned Expanded Patient Case Studies should include justification of any treatment plus documentation thereof, which shall consist of the following:
- A typed summary/overview of each Expanded Patient Case Study that includes: the patient's chief complaint, history of present illness, pertinent past dental/medical history, clinical and radiographic examination findings, diagnosis, treatment results and case disposition. The specific FDA-approved appliance used in treatment must be identified and the rationale for its selection must be provided. (Note: Cases involving the use of appliances that are not FDA-approved shall not be accepted.)
- Dental/Medical History (i.e., a thorough review of the patient's past and current history)
- Clinical Examination Results (i.e., the patient's chief complaint, clinical signs and symptoms, a description of the patient's general condition at the inception of treatment, etc.)
- Pre-Treatment PSG or HST (i.e., a laboratory or home sleep study, read and scored by a board-certified sleep physician with clear documentation of the diagnosis) * Maximum of 5 year span between testing and treatment initiation *
- Pre-treatment diagnostic images, including:
- Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT), panoramic or full mouth series.
- Three (3) intraoral images of the patient's dentition in occlusion: 1 anterior view, 1 right lateral view, plus 1 left lateral view.
- Photographs of casts/study models as follows:
- One (1) photograph of full upper and lower casts/study models;
- Three (3) pre-treatment photographs of articulated models in centric occlusion consisting of: 1 anterior view, 1 right lateral view plus 1 left lateral view;
- Three (3) pre-treatment photographs of casts/study models with bite registration in place consisting of: 1 anterior view, 1 right lateral view, plus 1 left lateral view;
- A photo of the patient's bite registration on articulated casts/models; AND,
- One (1) anterior view of the patient's dentition with the appliance properly fitted and placed.
- Treatment Plan (i.e., a recommended plan of treatment with alternative plans as appropriate)
- Clinical Procedures (i.e., a presentation of the clinical procedures for the case)
- Post-Treatment PSG (i.e., a laboratory or home sleep study, read and scored by a board-certified sleep physician)
- Documentation of a minimum of three (3) follow-up appointments with the last follow-up appointment at least three (3) months after the date of calibration and delivery of the patient's oral appliance.
- General Documentation (clear and precise, with the quality of imaging and other data sufficient to derive the information recorded)
4. Submit two (2) letters of recommendation, clearly labelled Exhibit E and Exhibit F. These letters may be obtained from a board-certified sleep physician (MD, DO or PhD) and/or a Diplomate of the American Board of Craniofacial Dental Sleep Medicine, a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine, or a Diplomate of the American Board of Craniofacial Pain in good standing.
Sample Cases
Exhibit C: Patient Case Summaries
A total of five (5) patient case summaries are required. For each patient case summary, the pre-treatment PSG must be formally interpreted by a board-certified sleep physician, whose diagnosis must reflect an AHI >10 and be clearly documented. The post-treatment PSG must also be interpreted by a board-certified physician. A post-treatment home sleep study is acceptable if it is read and scored by a board-certified sleep physician.
Two (2) patient case studies of unsuccessful or non-responders, either surgical or non-surgical, may be included in the five (5) required patient case summaries. Patient case summaries involving non-responders must be accompanied by detailed written explanations of possible reasons for non-responses to treatment.
Exhibits D-1 through D-5: Expanded Patient Cases
Five (5) expanded patient case studies are required. Pre-treatment and post-treatment PSGs for each case 1) may be administered at an accredited sleep laboratory or as a home sleep test, 2) must be read and scored by a board-certified sleep physician, and 3) must document successful cases in patients with pre-treatment AHI >10 and post-treatment AHI reduced by one-half plus relief of subjective symptoms.
Documentation of pre-treatment PSG and diagnosis by a board-certified sleep physician must be included whether the PSG is administered at an accredited sleep laboratory or as a home sleep study. Post-treatment PSG must also be read and scored by a board-certified sleep physician, and may also be completed at an accredited sleep laboratory or as a home sleep study.