Patients diagnosed with sleep apnea are well aware of the dangers of not managing this condition. Quality sleep is vital for heart health and overall well-being. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, studies have shown a link between sleep apnea and issues like type 2 diabetes, strokes, heart attacks, and even a reduced lifespan. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines can be very effective and are often the first line of treatment. However, in dentistry, we frequently encounter patients who cannot tolerate CPAP treatment.

Oral appliance therapy (OAT) offers many benefits. It is non-invasive, fits easily into patients' lifestyles, and yields compelling results. The advantages of OAT include:

• Convenience
• Ease of wear
• Quiet operation
• Portability
• Easy care
• Comfort

The results and patient compliance are evident and highly rewarding for dentists (DMDs and DDSs) involved in oral sleep medicine, given the significant impact on overall well-being. However, the administrative team faces new challenges because these diagnoses are covered by medical insurance rather than dental insurance.

Hiring specialized staff to handle medical insurance claims or outsourcing the service is unnecessary. Implementing medical billing is straightforward and allows you to add another revenue stream, ensure patients receive their entitled benefits, comply with Medicare's mandatory filing laws, and meet patient requests.

As a medical billing trainer since 2012, I've noticed that most attendees' questions arise after they have started filing claims and following up on them. This led to the establishment of an online medical billing class, which provides doctors and their teams with 24/7 access to courses, virtual group discussions, and coaching for one year. This ensures success in medical billing for sleep services and beyond.

As dentistry expands into more medical services and the oral-systemic link becomes better understood, we will see an increase in billing to medical payers. The transition can be smooth once the team grasps the documentation requirements, specific insurance policies, coding systems, and reimbursement procedures. Navigating the complexities of medical insurance claims requires additional training and resources, which are provided in this series of educational modules that are not typically included in dental education.