The American Sleep and Breathing Academy appoints Physician as President to promote stronger collaboration between dental and medical professionals

July 20, 2024

Dr. Rodolfo Martinez Ferrate, M.D., has been installed as the new President of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy (ASBA), succeeding Dr. Jon Caulfield DDS.

He is Board Certified in three distinct medical specialties;
Family Medicine, ABFM, Bariatric Medicine, ABBM/ABOM and Board Certified Sleep Medicine ABSM.

He has private practices in Glendale, AZ and SLC, UT and is licensed in multiple States and Countries. Dr. Ferrate has been diagnosing and treating patients with sleep disorders for over 20 years. During this time, he has prescribed thousands of oral appliances and is a strong ally of dental professionals.

"I have great confidence in the dental profession and their efforts to address sleep problems among patients. My goal is to help more patients by enhancing clinical and practical education and training. I believe that dentists are our best allies in this endeavor. They have the unique ability to examine the mouth and airway, making them ideal clinical partners in addressing sleep medicine issues." said Ferrate.

Professional Interests
Dr. Ferrate is deeply interested in medical weight loss and preventative medicine, with a focus on hormones and nutrition. From the start of his medical career, he has pursued his passion for identifying the best, most specific, yet natural treatments in wellness, rejuvenation, sleep disorders, and weight loss. He actively participates in various academies, including the AASM. In the field of sleep medicine, his goal is to collaborate with top experts to shape the future of sleep disorder treatments and performance, promoting cooperation between dentists and physicians. Together, they aim to utilize all available therapies and develop innovative protocols, tools, and medical devices to enhance sleep disorder treatment.

Protocols
Dr. Ferrate has been involved in numerous successful practice models throughout his career. Whether in pediatric or adult sleep medicine, he excels at developing protocols that optimize outcomes for both patients and practitioners through efficient processes and care.

On a broader scale, he aims to help the Academy integrate more dental and medical practitioners to treat sleep disorders more widely. Along with his ASBA board colleagues, they plan to establish protocols that will give consistent guidance to dentists to be successful in this field and improve their patients' lives.

The ASBA is developing white papers to help both dental and medical members better understand the various elements involved in dental sleep medicine. These elements include building a referral network, bite registration, scanners, HST diagnostic devices, PSG, PAP, OAT, billing, and telemedicine. The goal is to create a comprehensive guide that ASBA doctors can follow to achieve success in their practice, build a fulfilling career in dental sleep medicine, and ultimately save lives.

The goal extends beyond oral appliance therapy. Dr. Ferrate aims for dentists to become more well-rounded clinicians with comprehensive knowledge of a wide range of sleep medicine-related topics. Whether it's positional therapy, hypersomnia, insomnia, or TMJ disorders, ASBA members and advanced Diplomate practitioners must continuously learn and improve in these areas.

Research
His current research focuses on a collaboration with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, the top ranked hospital in the U.S., David Gergen of Gergen's Orthdontic Laboratory and the current dental director of the NFLPA and the NFLPA Professional Athletes Foundation (PAF). This important research aims to diagnose and treat sleep disorders in former NFL players, with a particular emphasis on the outcomes of Oral Appliance Therapy "OAT". Once the results are published, it should be a significant addition to the list of published research validating OAT.

It all begins with the patient
Dr. Ferrate firmly believes that everything starts with the patient and prioritizing what is best for them. He believes in ensuring that patients receive the most appropriate care, whether it be OAT, PAP, or another treatment. His goal is to advocate for this philosophy across the Academy and the entire field.

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"Hello and greetings from the Coffee farm in Costa Rica. The above image shows our pure CR95, Caturra and Catuai. All “strictly hard” and with a natural process that in my opinion gives the best tasting coffee".

Speaking

Drs Andrew Valenzuela, Rudi Ferrate and G Dave Singh hosting a Q&A panel discussion during the recent ASBA Sleep & Wellness Conference April 2024

Source: ASBA