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Mark Harris, D.D.S.
Brandie: What prompted you
to implement DSM into your
practice?
Dr. Harris: I have been “casually” treating sleep apnea
patients for almost 10 years.
In the past 2 years I noticed
a groundswell of literature
on the topic. I have a family
member with OSA and I had
suspected for years that I may
have it as well. A patient who’s
also a sales rep from the Kavo
Kerr Group shared my interest in the topic so we started
sharing info with each other.
Brandie: In a previous conversation, you mentioned the
differing reactions you’ve received from MD’s regarding
shared patients and sleep
apnea.
Dr. Harris: Right. 1 in 5 Americans has sleep apnea. No
age, sex, race or body type is
immune. Immediately after
signing up with the DS3 System, I ordered a HST home
sleep test to be the guinea
pig and go through the medical system to see what patients would encounter. Even
with HST results, it was glaring
how bogged down the medical system is. Months to get in
to see my PCP. Then another 6 months because my PCP
wanted to refer me to Internal
Medicine/Pulmonologist.
1 in 5 Americans has sleep
apnea. No age, sex, race
or body type is immune.
I had to be assertive with the
results of my HST in hand. “I
have a serious medical condition and I need treatment
for it.” I literally coerced one
of the people who make appointments by letting them
know with my OSA I have an
increased risk of a motor ve-
hicle accident. I then followed
up by asking if they live in my
town because I could be a risk
on the road.
About half of the MD’s I’ve
spoken with refused to make
any decision for the patient
and just wanted to refer to
a specialist. They also seem
very perplexed why a dentist
is involved in helping to bring
awareness to a serious medical condition which goes undiagnosed 90% of the time.
The next 30% is excited to sign
the “Letter of Medical Necessity” right away. The last 20%
seem perplexed a dentist has
referred a patient to them.
Then, they want to order the
same HST and when the patient shows they have one,
then they want to order a
PSG. It can be frustrating for
all involved.