Gurnee Dentist Gives Full Day Lecture To 90 Dentists at Illinois Academy of General Dentistry

May 29, 2011 - PRLog -- Sleep Apnea is a dangerous condition that can cause numerous serious health issues including stroke, myocardial infarction, high blood pressur, memory loss and cognitive problems.  Fortunately, it is usually easy to diagnose and treat.  CPAP or continuous positive air pressure is the standard medical treatment and is extremely effective.

Unfortunately, studies have shown that the majority of patients do not tolerate CPAP.  Oral Appliances and the field of dental sleep medicine have come to the rescue of patients who do not tolerate CPAP.  The appliances are small, comfortable and easy to use and are considered a first line treatment for mild to moderate apnea and an alternative to CPAP for severe Sleep A[nea when patients do not tolerate CPAP.

Dr Shapira has been utilizing oral appliance therapy to treat sleep apnea since the early 1980's and did research as a visiting Assistant Professor at Rush Medical Schools's sleep disorder center in the 1980's.

Dr Shapira was one of 20 dentists around the United States that started the Sleep Disorder Dental Society 20 years ago.  The SDDS later changed its name to the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine.  The American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine was established to recognize excellence and training in the field of Dental Sleep Medicine.  Dr Shapira is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine.

He has been lecturing both locally and nationally on Sleep Apnea for many years.  He lectured extensively throughout the 1990's on anti-aging dentistry and on the role of dentists in treating chronic pain and sleep disorders.  He was one of the first dentists to speak to arge groups of physicians on how oral infection can effect overall health and cause damage throughout the body secondary to inflamation.

His lecture at the Illinois Academy of General Dentistry covered not only the role of dentists in treating sleep apnea but also the orofacial growth and development problems that not only cause sleep apnea but may be responsible for up to 80% of ADD and ADHD.  

Dr Shapira focuses his lectures on the ability of the dental community to help grow healthier and smarter children by providing better airways and better sleep.

Another passion of Dr Shapira is changing the parameters of care in dentistry to promote early prophylactic removal of wisdom teeth and to collect stem cells in the process.  He believes this may one day serve as a fountain of yourth for our children as they age.  He has several patents on methods and devices to remove the developing third molar tooth bud prior to calcification thru minimally invasive means.

Dr Shapira and Dr Mark Amidei are principals in Delany Dental Care Ltd in Gurnee and Dr Shapira is President of Chicagoland Dental Sleep Medicine Associates which has offices in Skokie and Schaumburg where he treats sleep apnea, snoring and TMJ disorders.

Dato-Tech is the company involved in Stem Cells and in running Dr Shapira's continuing educational courses.  His next course on Dental Sleep Medicine is on June 3-4.  Dr Shapira and his team do intensive education with small groups of dentists and their teams who want to expand into Dental Sleep Medicine.  His program includes a full year of mentoring to his students.  He has lectured to dentists from across the United States and Canada for several years.

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I HATE CPAP! LLC provides information on Sleep Apnea, Dental Sleep Medicine and alternative to CPAP for patients who are CPAP intolerant. The website http://www.ihatecpap.com has valuable information on treating sleep apnea utilizing oral appliances.