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About the Taiwan Dental Sleep Medicine Academy

Sleep-disordered breathing — from habitual snoring to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) — involves the upper airway, oral and maxillofacial structures, and whole-body health, and can no longer be addressed by a single specialty alone. The Academy unites dentistry and related fields into a platform for academic exchange, training and certification in dental sleep medicine in Taiwan.

Who we are

Founded in September 2023, the Academy unites dentistry and related fields to build a platform for academic exchange, training and specialist certification in dental sleep medicine. As dentistry's role in oral appliance therapy (OAT) and maxillofacial assessment grows, the need for interdisciplinary integration has emerged. Founding President Dr. Hsu Ming-lun took office in September 2023, serving the 1st and 2nd terms; the 3rd-term President is Dr. Ko Chien-pu (former President of the Taipei City Dental Association).

Current status and vision

An estimated millions of adults in Taiwan are affected by obstructive sleep apnea, yet most remain undiagnosed and untreated. Facing this large and long-overlooked health need, the Academy pursues three directions: helping dentists align with international sleep medicine, building a dental sleep medicine specialist system, and helping more patients receive proper care through correct treatment and public education.

Our mission

Education & training: a systematic dental sleep medicine curriculum. Certification: a dental sleep medicine specialist program. Interdisciplinary integration: collaboration with ENT, pulmonology, neurology and sleep medicine to form a complete diagnose–treat–follow-up care chain. Evidence & research: promoting evidence-based decisions and supporting local clinical research.

Care philosophy: evidence-based, interdisciplinary sleep care

There is no single treatment for sleep-disordered breathing. Lifestyle change, CPAP, oral appliances and surgery each have their indications. The Academy advocates a complete interdisciplinary assessment centered on patient preference, choosing an effective treatment each patient can sustain rather than favoring any single modality. Dentistry's expertise within the sleep team lies in the assessment, design and long-term follow-up of oral appliances.

Sustainability

Professional sustainability: continually updating courses and specialist examinations, and building clinical guidelines and consensus. Knowledge sustainability: encouraging members to engage in clinical research and case accumulation toward a local evidence base. Social sustainability: as OSA is linked to cardiovascular and metabolic disease and to transport and occupational safety, the Academy works to reduce the burden of undiagnosed disease through public education.

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