Airway-Centered Dentistry: Rethinking Etiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Oral Disease

This CE course reframes oral disease through the lens of airway function and systemic health. Attendees will learn the four physiologic phenotypes of sleep-disordered breathing (upper airway collapsibility, loop gain, arousal threshold, muscle responsiveness), how to screen for airway dysfunction in pediatric and adult patients, and how to build interdisciplinary treatment plans incorporating myofunctional therapy, oral appliances, and medical collaboration.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify the relationship between airway dysfunction and common dental diseases
2. Understand the physiologic phenotypes of sleep-disordered breathing
3. Recognize clinical signs of airway compromise in pediatric and adult patients
4. Integrate airway screening/diagnostic tools into daily workflows
5. Develop interdisciplinary, phenotype-driven treatment strategies
6. Communicate the airway-dental connection to patients

Speaker Bio

Dr. Jon Woller has practiced dentistry in Fairbanks, Alaska since 2007, following pediatric dental work in Minneapolis (2005–2007). A 2004 University of Louisville School of Dentistry graduate, he’s focused on airway-centered dentistry since 2014, informed by his own experience with sleep-disordered breathing. He served as President of the Alaska Dental Society (2013), on the ADA Council on Membership (2014), and on the Alaska Board of Dental Examiners (2019–2026).