Children are not adults - pediatric obstructive sleep apnea and dentistry

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) most commonly affects children between the ages of 2 to 7 years, an especially critical time for growth and development. Unlike in adults, OSA presents itself differently in children (ADHD) but can still have adverse health effects as in adults. Additionally, the alarming increase in childhood obesity over the past few decades has been associated with an increase in the prevalence of OSA from a stable 1% to 4% to as high as 19% to 61%, increasing the importance of OSA screening in children by health care providers. Dentists can and should be the front line screeners for patients with potential OSA. Thus, the objectives of this presentation are:To introduce pre-doctoral dental students to dental sleep medicine with emphasis on Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea.To stress the importance of screening pediatric patient population for increased risk for OSA and facilitate medical referral when indicated. To stress the importance of integrating dental sleep medicine in dental curricula