Full Conference Agenda Coming Soon!
DAY 1: FRIDAY, APRIL 4th, 2025
7:50 AM to 8:00 AM
Topic: Opening Remarks
Rudi Ferrate MD and Dave Balachandran MD
The Annual Conference Matters! We have assembled an excellent clinical education program, designed to offer learning opportunities for attendees at any level of experience. This conference will introduce you to innovative methods for operating your practice. It’s a chance to connect with your peers; who are here and ready to support you. Dedicate time to interact with exhibitors and transform these connections into friendships and partnerships.
Dr. Dave Balachandran is current President of the Southern Sleep Society (SSS). Founded in 1978, it serves as a platform for healthcare professionals specializing in sleep disorders, facilitating networking, collaboration, and professional development while promoting the latest research and best practices in sleep medicine. They provide continuing medical education for physicians through the AASM via the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).
8:00 AM to 9:00 AM
Topic: Introduction to Craniofacial Sleep Medicine
Presenter: Dave Singh, DMD PhD DDSc
Dave Singh, DMD, PhD, DDSc, is an Adjunct Professor in Sleep Medicine at Stanford University. He is active in sleep medicine research and teaching.
He has published over 220 articles in the peer-reviewed medical, dental and orthodontic literature, as well as 9 books/chapters and over 15 US, Canadian and international patents. Dr Dave Singh is the inventor of the DNA appliance, which was the first palatal expander to be FDA approved in 2023 for the treatment of mild, moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults, and for pediatric sleep apnea in children in 2024.
Dr Dave Singh will discuss the principles and practice of integrative treatments for obstructive sleep apnea.
Learn about the new research and possible therapy for OSA at next year’s ASBA annual conference where Dr. Dave Singh will be presenting his recent findings.
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9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Topic: How the VA System Successfully Treats Sleep patients and how you to can utilize the same techniques to treat Sleep patients successfully outside the VA
Presenter: Chris Chui DD and Rishi Gupta, DDS, MD
Chris Chui DDS is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and of UC San Francisco as a Doctor of Dental Surgery, Dr. Chui has been continuously recognized for his stellar work and genuine patient caring, receiving prestigious accolades such as KRON4 News Best of the Bay Dentist and America’s Top Dentist. He is also a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists as well as a Fellow of the International Association of Physiologic Aesthetics. A recipient of many honors and awards, Dr. Chui has been a guest lecturer at universities and at conventions and has been featured on The Dr. Oz Show as an expert in Dentistry.
Certified as a Qualified Dentist by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine to treat sleep apnea, Dr. Chris Chui is a general dentist with extensive experience in the subject of Dental Sleep Medicine. He has successfully treated numerous patients with snoring and sleep apnea issues. He utilizes the latest technology and the most up-to-date dental appliances to tackle the patients with sleep issues that a lot of Primary Care Providers and Board Certified Sleep Physicians could not treat.
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Rishi Jay Gupta DDS, MD
Section Chief of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at San Francisco VA Health Care System and Assistant Professor at University of California, San Francisco
Dr. Gupta currently serves as the Section Chief of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at San Francisco VA Health Care System and as Staff Surgeon in Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at VA Northern California Health Care System. I hold an appointment as Assistant Professor in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at UCSF. I am also in private practice as Sleep Surgeon/Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon at Dental Implant and Oral Surgery of San Francisco and California Pacific Medical Center.
I completed my training as an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon from UCSF and pursued further fellowship experience in Sleep Apnea Surgery at California Sleep Institute and Stanford University under the mentorship of Dr. Stephen Schendel and Dr. Robert Riley. My clinical focus is in the comprehensive surgical management of patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea and temporomandibular joint disorders and practices broadly which encompasses Orthognathic, Facial Trauma, and Dentoalveolar Surgery. My active areas of research include temporomandibular disorders and obstructive sleep apnea. I am also involved in student and resident education and training at UCSF and private entrepreneurial projects.
10:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Topic: Identification of Craniofacial Deficiencies in Children
Presenter: Toshi Hart DDS
Dr. Toshi Hart is a graduate of the Arthur A. Dugoni University of the Pacific School of Dentistry, San Francisco and completed a General Practice Residency at the VA Hospital, Palo Alto, with rotations Stanford Hospital. She was Dental Director of a Public Health Clinic and a Department of Health and Human Services National Health Service Corps Student Loan Repayment Recipient in Healdsburg, California. She maintains privileges at Kaiser Hospital in Modesto, California and has been in practice for over 30 years previously limited to children now focused on Laser, Airway, and Dental Sleep Medicine.
Dr. Toshi Hart is a Clinical Advisor for Vivos Therapeutics and is a featured presenter. In 2021, she published Use of a Novel Intraoral Device to Promote Nasal Breathing Reduces Risk of Tooth Decay in Children. Dr. Hart is a Diplomate with the American Sleep and Breathing Academy, certified Academy of Laser Dentist, a Breathe Institute Ambassador, Tethered Oral Tissues trained, a Qualified Oral Myofunctional Dentist and Certified in the Buteyko Breathing. In addition, she is a KOL for Convergent Dental Solea Laser and Candid Clear Aligners.
As a trusted provider in the community, she works with a network of physicians to integrate medicine and dentistry in a medical model for Obstructive Sleep Apnea treatment in adults and early intervention treatment for children. She is passionate about her goals; to help a generation of children grow up to be free of decay with proper growth and development to become healthy adults.
11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Topic: Breathing Re-Education to Improve Arousal Threshold and Reduce High Loop Gain in Sleep Apnea
Presenter: Patrick McKeown
Patrick McKeown is a leading international authority on the Buteyko Method. Educated at Trinity College Dublin, he completed his clinical training in Russia and was accredited in 2002 by the method’s founder, the late Dr. Konstantin Buteyko.
For the past twenty years, he has taught functional breathing to help children and adults with respiratory, sleep and mental health disorders. The author of ten books published in 16 languages, Patrick has trained thousands of healthcare professionals in the Buteyko Method, in over 50 countries worldwide.
Patrick’s bestselling books include:
The Oxygen Advantage (2015) which explores improving sports performance by addressing dysfunctional breathing patterns and simulating high altitude.
The Breathing Cure (2021) which is a deep dive into the science of breathing. It explores functional breathing for a wide range of health conditions, and breathing exercises suitable for adults, children and teens.
Patrick’s co-authored article, Breathing Re-Education and Phenotypes of Sleep Apnea: A Review is published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.
1:45 PM to 3:00 PM
Topic: Cardiac Function and Sleep
Presenters: Atul Malhotra, MD
Atul Malhotra, MD is a board-certified pulmonologist, intensivist and research chief of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine. He is active clinically in pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine. In the sleep clinic, Dr. Malhotra provides a full spectrum of diagnostic and therapeutic services to patients with sleep-related disorders, including sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy and sleep disorders associated with medical or psychiatric conditions. He has a special interest in the treatment of sleep apnea.
3:00 PM to 3:45 PM
Topic: The Hidden Dangers of Sleep Apnea in Woman
Presenter: Suzanne R. Mericle DMD
Suzanne R. Mericle, DMD, has been practicing Dentistry for over 30 years on Saint Simons Island, Georgia. She attended the University of Georgia where she received her BS in Microbiology. She attended Medical College of Georgia Dental School and graduated in 1991 with honors.
Dr. Mericle has been a Keynote Opinion Leader and Speaker for several Dental companies, including Den Mat, Glidewell Dental, American Academy of Facial Esthetics, Kettenbach, Practical Sleep Education, Mommy, American Sleep and Breathing Academy, and Excel. Dr. Mericle is also a KOL (Key Opinion Leader) for Smile Direct Club. Dr. Mericle is also the Principal Lead Investigator for AbbVie for “ Pilot Study of the Effect of Botox on Sleep Bruxism”.
Dr. Mericle was very instrumental and petition the Georgia Board twice to encourage the Board to change their policy on Georgia Dentist to be allowed to order Home Sleep Tests for their patients,. This is a huge win for Dentists and their patients to have better access for much needed care. Physicians and Dentists mutually working together for the patient. A well-known speaker and is frequently heard on podcasts, webinars and is very knowledgeable on a variety of Dental topics. She has written several articles on Dental Sleep Medicine, TMD/TMJ, Periodontal Disease, Botox/Filler and several other dental products.
Dr. Mericle is a Diplomat with American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and American Sleep and Breathing Academy. She has her Fellowship with Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation and American Academy of Facial esthetics and trained with the Pankey institute, as well. She maintains professional membership in the Georgia Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation, Sleep Group Solutions, the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Medicine, and the American Sleep and Breathing Academy and VIVOS.
4:15 PM to 4:45 PM
Topic: A Comprehensive Guide to Medical Billing Practices
Presenter: Ronald L. Cook DDS
Dr. Cook completed his undergraduate degree at Baylor University in 1984, followed by his dental degree from Baylor College of Dentistry in 1988. He initially joined a City Dental Clinic, simultaneously establishing his first de novo dental practice. Subsequently, he acquired an existing practice. He founded departments specializing in Maxillofacial Orthopedics/Orthodontics and introduced computer-guided implant placement and restoration within his practice. This experience provided him with insights into the interconnection between the airway, bruxism, and the long-term stability of dental treatments.
Dr. Cook expanded his team by bringing on associates, enabling the launch of a sleep dentistry department. It was here that he discovered his true calling in assisting individuals affected by obstructive sleep apnea, along with its signs, symptoms, and related conditions. Following the success of his sleep dentistry practice, he sold his general dental practices to dedicate himself entirely to the field of sleep dentistry.
While maintaining his full-time commitment to sleep dentistry, Dr. Cook founded a sleep billing company named Comprehensive Sleep Services. This company was created to overcome the challenges that general dentists and orthodontists encounter while integrating a sleep medicine component into their busy practices. Currently, he manages Comprehensive Sleep Services full-time and operates a sleep clinic on a part-time basis. Initially starting with a single in-network insurance contract in one state, the company has expanded to include nine insurance providers across all 50 states. This growth has enabled him to assist a greater number of patients suffering from sleep-related issues and to make a significant contribution to the field of dental sleep medicine. As a long-standing member and Diplomate of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy, he is now focused on advancing the organization and expanding its reach to help more patients in need.
4:45 PM to 5:30 PM
Topic: Epigenetics for Airway and Facial ReDevelopment: A Practical Clinical Approach
Presenter: Felix Liao, DDS
Felix Liao, DDS, is a bestselling author and thought-leader in natural wellness and the mind/mouth/body connection. He is the founder and director of the Whole Health Dental Center in Falls Church, VA, and has served as president of the International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine.
A practicing dentist for more than 30 years, Dr. Liao gained acclamation for having identified Impaired Mouth Syndrome as an overlooked source of many medical and dental issues – and for developing an effective intervention framework for redeveloping an impaired mouth into a holistic mouth. He is the author of the bestselling books Six-Foot Tiger, Three-Foot Cage and Early Sirens, and the just released Amazon Best Seller Licensed to Thrive.
DAY 2: SATURDAY, APRIL 5th 2025
8:00 AM to 8:45 AM
Topic: Sleep in Women Across the Stages of Life
Presenter: Snigdha Pusalavidyasagar M.D.
Dr. Snigdha Pusalavidyasagar (“Sagar”) is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine in the Department of Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School (Minneapolis, MN). She serves as the University of Minnesota Medical Center Site Director for the Sleep Medicine Fellowship Program. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and Sleep Medicine. Her research interests include the role of sleep in women’s health and sleep-related breathing disorder associations with cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Sagar is active with the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and was recognized with Fellow status in 2013. She serves on the Advisory Board role with the American Academy of Cardiovascular Sleep Medicine, the Sleep Advisory Committee for the American Board of Internal Medicine, and is President-Elect for the Minnesota Sleep Society. Dr. Sagar completed her internal medicine residency at Howard University (Washington, DC) and her sleep medicine fellowship at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota). Before her sleep medicine fellowship, she was a research fellow in cardiovascular physiology also at the Mayo Clinic.
8:45 AM to 9:30 AM
Topic: Non-CPAP Alternatives in the Treatment of Sleep Disorders
Presenter: Sairam Parthasarathy M.D.
Sairam Parthasarathy, MD is Professor of Medicine, Chief, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Director for the UAHS Center of Sleep & Circadian Science, and Medical Director for the Center for Sleep Disorders at the University of Arizona.
Dr. Parthasarathy is a Past President of the Sleep Research Society Foundation and is currently serving as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, Sleep & Vigilance, and Frontiers of Neurology and as an editorial board member of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
His current research is supported by the NIH/NHLBI, PCORI, American Academy of Sleep Medicine Foundation and industry funding. His research focuses on sleep and breathing in both ambulatory patients with sleep disorders, critically ill patients, and survivors of critical illness. Specifically, his current PCORI-funded initiative is addressing peer-driven intervention for promotion of CPAP adherence. His NIH-funded research investigates the role of community engagement to address COVID-related health disparities and a NIH-funded training program for underrepresented minorities in lung and sleep apnea research. Additionally, he is principal investigator for the Arizona RECOVER Cohort that aims to study the longterm consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
9:30 AM to 10:00 AM
Topic: Understanding the Fundamentals Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
Presenter: Giselle Raio, RDH
Gisselle Raio is an RDH, certified in orofacial myofunctional therapy and the Buteyko breathing method. She’s is trained in epigenetics and pneumopedics. Gisselle was previously one of the cofounders of MyoCorrect. She practices and lectures on orofacial myofunctional therapy to health practitioners and works with doctors and other healthcare professionals from all over the globe, developing protocols for the treatment of sleep-disordered breathing, sleep apnea, and craniofacial growth deficiencies.
10:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Topic: Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Presenter: Andrew Valenzuela, M.D., FAAP
Pediatric Sleep Medicine Physician, Banner Medical Group, Site Director Pediatric Sleep Medicine Fellowship, Banner Thunderbird.
Dr. Valenzuela McGovern Medical School at UT Health Science Center of Texas. He completed his residency in Pediatrics at Dell Children’s Medical Center and a Fellowship in Sleep Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Valenzuela is a well-rounded physician specializing in adult & pediatric sleep medicine along with plenty of urgent care experience. Board-certified in pediatrics. Professional interests include narcolepsy and artificial intelligence within sleep medicine. Wearables and nearables” for sleep tracking/diagnostics and the role of artificial intelligence within sleep medicine, especially polysomnogram auto-scoring. Hypoglossal nerve stimulators and the various alternative therapeutics for obstructive sleep apnea. Narcolepsy and the pharmacologic options for symptomatic treatment.
11:00 AM to 11:45 AM
Topic: Helping Physicians Believe in Dental Sleep Medicine
Presenter: John C. Comisi, DDS, MAGD, D’ASBA – Associate Professor Medical University of South Carolina, James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine
You are trained to treat sleep patients in your dental practice. Congratulations! How do you get your physician colleagues to understand that you can be a valuable asset in caring for their patients? How do you connect the dots from all of the signs and symptoms you have detected so that your PCP or sleep specialist understands that you can help mutual patients? It is a challenge, but can be done!
Dr. Comisi practiced general dentistry successfully in Ithaca, NY for 35 years before relocating to Charleston, South Carolina in August 2017 to join the faculty at the Medical University of South Carolina James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine where he is an Associate Professor. He is the Course Director for the College’s Operative II (adhesive and esthetic dentistry) Course, Chair of the Oral Rehabilitation Departments Dental Materials Committee, Course Director of the newly created Dental Sleep Medicine Elective, the first of its kind interdisciplinary course at MUSC and past Infection Control Officer for the College. Dr. Comisi is currently the President of the South Carolina Dental Association.
Dr. Comisi is an Emeritus Member and Master of the Academy of General Dentistry, and holds Fellowships in the Academy of Dentistry International, the American College of Dentists, the Pierre Fauchard Academy, and the International College of Dentists
1:45 PM to 2:15 PM
Topic: Promoting Sleep Apnea Treatment to Patients – Key Strategies for Success
Presenter: Ernie Cote, MBA
Ernie Cote, MBA is the CEO of Bullseye Media, LCC. For 15 years, Bullseye Media has helped over 300 dental practices get new patients and increase revenue per patient through highly effective search marketing, social media, website design and review management.
Prior to working with Bullseye Media, Ernie has worked on executive leadership across a breadth of companies, served on numerous boards, and is frequently consulted by companies striving to strategically expand revenue. Specializing in operations leadership and customer retention, Ernie is a devoted and passionate leader who consistently maximizes shareholder value while also maintaining a happy and healthy office culture.
2:15 PM to 3:15 PM
Topic: Sleep Apnea, Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death
Presenter: Virend Somers M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Somers directs the Cardiovascular Facility and the Sleep Facility within Mayo Clinic’s Center for Clinical and Translational Science in Rochester MN. His team’s research focuses on the role of the autonomic nervous system in cardiovascular regulation in humans, with an emphasis on normal and disordered sleep. The team is also involved in studies of vascular biology in humans, examining how changes in neural mechanisms may influence the local control of blood vessels.
Extensive collaborative interactions within and outside Mayo Clinic are fundamental to the successful evolution of Dr. Somers’ research program. Current collaborations include studies with investigators at the University of Iowa and the University of Cincinnati and joint projects with academic medical centers in Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany and Belgium.
One of Dr. Somers main areas of focus are the neural, vascular and genetic mechanisms linking sleep disorders to cardiovascular disease. Studies in this area of focus explore the interactions between sleep apnea and cardiovascular function, with special attention paid to mechanisms by which sleep apnea may worsen heart failure. Dr. Somers’ team is also addressing the potential mechanisms by which changes in neural and vascular function may contribute to the circadian pattern of cardiovascular events.
Dr. Somers’ research program utilizes an integrated physiologic approach to studying cardiovascular function, seeking to examine questions with relevance to cardiovascular disease. An emphasis is placed on applying new developments in basic biology to studies in humans.
3:15 PM to 3:45 PM
Topic: A Comprehensvie A-Z of Dental Sleep Medicine
Presenter: Rebecca Lauck Keller DDS
Dr. Rebecca Lauck attended Austin College in Sherman, Texas for her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology and Sociology. She followed through on a lifelong interest in pursuing dentistry as a career at Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, Texas, earning her Doctorate of Dental Surgery.
Practicing general dentistry for more than 34 years, Dr. Lauck has taken many CE courses and established herself as an expert in all phases of dentistry. Her focus is on the oral cavity. TMD, orthodontics, and sleep are all connected to the oral cavity and influence each other. Dr. Lauck has special training in all of these areas, in addition to holistic dentistry and cosmetic dentistry.
4:15 PM to 5:00 PM
Topic: Growing our Practices, Improving Patient Outcomes, How the ASBA intends to integrate sleep medicine among dentists and physicians on a national level as well the moving the field into the arena of sub-specialty status – Doctor Panel Q&A
Moderator: Rodolfo M. Ferrate MD
Open microphone discussion on a range of topics. Attendees will have the opportunity to bring questions/concerns to the attention of the group after a brief lecture covering the ins and outs of being financially compensated for treatment of sleep disordered breathing