Awaken2Sleep

06/12/2026

The American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine / University of Michigan School of Dentistry DSM Mastery program is TOMORROW!

If you're taking the Mastery program, we promise 3 high-fives 🙌 🙌 🙌 for anyone who comes to see Michael Cowen, Mike Mohrhard, & @ the A2S booth!!

06/12/2026

Mindy has been coming to your dental practice for 15 years.

You know the name of all 6 of her grandkids. She asks about your kids every time she's in the chair.

Not just a patient - she's a friend. Family, in a way.

When you tell Mindy she needs to be tested for OSA... she got tested. She trusts you.

The last thing you want is to hold up the treatment process by depending on an MD to interpret her test.

Skip the long waits & constant follow-ups. Go with the people you know.

Our sister company HST Interps uses their FDA-approved AI scoring system to take your patients' test data, score the data, and get a confirmed diagnoses from a licensed MD within 3-5 days.

No weeks-to-months long wait. No need to see patients you love suffer longer.

Try out HST Interps today, fill out the Interp Enrollment form & get started now!

06/11/2026

06/11/2026

When it comes to DSM conferences... every event is somewhat similar.

Every summit jockeys to have the best speakers.
The most engaging topics.
The prettiest venue.
The awesomest vendors.

None of it is a true "difference maker"... it's just trying to be better than anyone else.

At the Masterclass we offer something no one else does.

The Gamechangers.

We take the time out of our schedule to.

Throughout the conference are the Gamechangers, three 15-minute intervals where we pause the sessions & the brainstorming to focus on YOU.

You ask the questions.
Michael Cowen shares the answers you need most.

No one else does that.

If you're ready to change your DSM game, the Masterclass is calling your name.

Time to pick up the phone. 😉

JOIN US September 18-19, 2026 at the immaculate Coronado Island Marriott Resort for the 2026 PIVOT Masterclass.

Don't wait, register today. Seats are going hotter than hotcakes. Use code MC200 to save some schmonies when you checkout!

06/10/2026

Wondering if implementing myo is the right move for your sleep practice?

Myofunctional therapy integration is as simple as 4 steps:

1. Develop clear criteria 👍

Your practice needs a clear Myo workflow, both for standalone myofunctional therapy cases and for combination treatments with an OA.

2. Create a defined “Myo + OAT” protocol 👍

Patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea may need both myofunctional therapy & OAT. Your practice will need a defined protocol emphasizing how both therapies support one another.

3. Keep a monthly tally 👍

Track revenue streams for every case type (Myo / OAT / combo therapy) to ensure neither branch is gets overshadowed

4. Review patient outcomes

Periodically - perhaps, quarterly - take the time to look over your patients' case outcomes to make sure each therapy path meets the clinical & financial benchmarks you have in place.

Want some help? We've got the coaching you need, from a star in the space.

Ask our A+++ sleep coach / myo expert ! Reach out today and let's get you started.

06/10/2026

There are myths & misconceptions about obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that keep patients in the dark.

Let's clear the air.

Here are 5 myths your patient still believe—and 5 ways you can respond:

❌ MYTH: Sleep apnea is just snoring.
✅ REALITY: Snoring is the smoke, sleep apnea is the fire. When throat muscles relax during sleep, the soft palate collapses and completely blocks the airway, stopping breathing altogether—that's OSA. It's not a noise problem... it's an oxygen problem.

While sleep apnea sounds like snoring, it goes way deeper than that. It starts in the back of your airway, when your soft palate collapses during sleep as your throat muscles relax. This can cause all breathing to stop entirely... i.e. obstructive sleep apnea.

❌ MYTH: If you're sleeping all night, you're well-rested.
✅ REALITY: If your patients are clocking 8 hours and still waking up exhausted, their bodies are fighting for air all night, not resting.

❌ MYTH: Only older or overweight people are affected.
✅ REALITY: OSA doesn't have a ""look""... and while age & weight are risk factors, narrow airways & abnormal craniofacial anatomy can trigger sleep-disordered breathing in anyone - including young people. Everyone could be at risk, everyone should be screened.

❌ MYTH: Sleep apnea isn't a serious health concern.
✅ REALITY: OSA is proven to have significant detrimental effect on the body, brain, and in particular, the heart. OSA has significant cardiovascular comorobidities, including higher risk of heart attack, stroke, & coronary artery disease, as well as higher likelihood of cancer, diabetes, mental health, neurological disorders (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, etc.), and more.

❌ MYTH: Treatment is uncomfortable and difficult - the juice isn't worth the squeeze.
✅ REALITY: Treatment doesn't have to be a nightmare. By choosing an oral appliance provider, you can be fitted with a custom device that will sit in your jaw comfortably - no air hose, no surgery... just an appliance. All the comfort you need, without the strain.

Reaching patients isn't just about getting them in the chair.

It's about dismantling the misconceptions that stand between them and a healthier life.

06/09/2026

We've got an exhaustive Form Library covering all of the bases in sleep.
Just for you.

📄 60+ forms.
✅ 1 sign-up.

Register for the PIVOT Sleep Academy & get the DSM training you and your team need to take the next step, today!

06/09/2026

DENTISTS - be on the lookout. 🚨🚨🚨

Sleep bruxism (SB) is one of the clearest signs that your patient is suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

When your patient's airway collapses during sleep (apneic event), their airway & craniofacial muscles go into distress mode, thrusting the jaw forward, causing jaw stress and grinding their teeth.

That's why patients with TMJ pain & bruxing are also highly likely to have OSA!

If you notice your patient has chronic bruxing, ask them!

"Have you been screened or tested for sleep apnea?"

Just a simple question can save a life.

Start screening for OSA today!

If you have any questions about incorporating sleep screening into your practice workflow, contact us! We'd love to get you set up with the resources you need to train your team in sleep.

06/08/2026

At the PIVOT Masterclass, you'll experience something that no other DSM event offers.

𝑪𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆.

Nowhere else are you going to experience the energy, joy, & friendship that this community brings.

That sounds cliché, we know.

But trust us- it makes this community so much stronger.

Everyone is interested in each other's personal growth. Tips / insights / tricks of the trade are being shared ALL the time - from other attendees, not just the stage.

Taking part in the Masterclass is an investment in the professional community you put around you in sleep.

Great friends, trusted advisors, deep brainstorming.

06/08/2026

Dr. Average Joe treats patients for OSA... but doesn't consider WHO his patient is.

🙋‍♂️💁‍♀️ OSA affects men & women VERY differently - so providers need to know how to approach both groups.

Don't be Average Joe. Here's what you need to know:

𝟏. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 "𝐎𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝"

Women who have Class I or II obesity are underdiagnosed compared to men of the same body type.

Because of this, women often require higher levels of obesity to trigger OSA screenings & diagnosis from their P*P.

𝟐. 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲

OSA's cardiovascular burden reflects differently between men & women.

Women: higher prevalence of hypertension and poor glycemic control (higher HbA1c levels)
Men: lower levels of hypertension, but significantly worse metabolic markers & cardiovascular risk scores

𝟑. 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐧

Lifestyle differences between men & women cause greater OSA prevalence in men: men unilaterally showed greater alcohol consumption & higher rates of smoking than women, leading to greater OSA risk from relaxed airway (alcohol) and airway inflammation (smoking).

𝟒. 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐛𝐢𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫, 𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞

There are PLENTY of women under 40 who are at risk of mild-to-moderate OSA... but they're not being screened, because sleep apnea is a "man's disease."

That is a huge missed opportunity to help these women who do need help - they just don't know it.

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Being the best provider for every patient means paying attention to every person that comes to the chair.

Don't let patients that need help slip through the cracks.