555 From Wear Facets to Wellness: The Hygienist's Role in Airway Health

On this episode of A Tale of Two Hygienists, Jessica and Dave sit down with a dental professional who has spent more than 20 years in hygiene and noticed a recurring problem: patients whose bruxism and wear patterns pointed to possible airway issues were being referred for sleep evaluations, but too often never completed the process. That frustration led to the creation of Orasom Health, a platform designed to help dental teams support patients from the first airway red flags in the dental chair through screening, diagnosis, and treatment. What We Talked About How hygienists are uniquely positioned to recognize oral signs that may point to airway dysfunction. Why patients so often fall through the cracks after being referred for a sleep evaluation. How dental teams can better support patients throughout the journey from screening to diagnosis and treatment. The important role hygienists can play in identifying potential airway concerns early. The personal, unexpected journey that sparked this mission — beginning not through dentistry, but with an unfortunate near-death experience that changed the guest's life and set this work in motion. The Big Takeaway Airway health doesn't have to stop at a referral. Dental hygienists are often on the frontline of identifying potential warning signs, giving them a unique opportunity to help patients take the next step toward answers and treatment. Resources: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aylee706/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puz8YoY2_To Contact the Hosts: Jessica: [email protected] Dave: [email protected]