This is my farewell letter to the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, an organization I’ve supported to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars since 2007.
See, I believe in the AADSM’s mission to:
“To advance our members’ success in treating obstructive sleep apnea, snoring and associated conditions with education, professional development, practice management resources, advocacy, and research.”
For nearly twenty years I’ve encouraged dentists to become AADSM members and helped many prepare for their Diplomate exams. There is no other Dental Sleep Medicine (DSM) organization that can hold a candle to their legacy, reach, and professional connections.
But with that great power comes great responsibility. In the United States of America, leading the country, an organization, or a field, opens the doors to criticism—negative, positive, and constructive. As Frederick Douglass said, “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.”
SO, HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED IN VEGAS…
Over the past few months, my vocal criticisms of the AADSM have fallen into each of those categories. When Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) oral appliance therapy (OAT) companies started popping up like Whammies in Press Your Luck, I poked and prodded the organization to strongly assert their position on the topic because these disruptive business models have the potential to negatively impact patient outcomes while also having a deleterious effect on the field as a whole. Confusion was rampant among some members as one of the lead authors (and former president of the organization, David Schwartz)of the AADSM’s position paper on DTC OAT is now a stakeholder in one of those companies. Thankfully, the AADSM issued an update on their position which can be read here.
When Medicare was considering moving OAT to Part B, I inquired about what the AADSM was doing to advocate for their constituency. And when they made positive pronouncements and took necessary action on these fronts, I applauded them with equal fervor.
And before you say, “Great, Jason. It’s easy to just talk smack. What have you done regarding any of these matters?” Well, let me tell you:
- During the aforementioned Part B brouhaha, along with other concerned parties, we convened our own lil’ task force and drafted a petition that we sent to thousands of dentists. Hundreds of them signed and submitted the petitions to CMS.
- I wrote an open letter to the AADSM on the topic of DTC OAT begging them to take action. Additionally, we hosted webinars along with Kent Smith DDS, D-ABDSM, Stacey Layman, DDS, D-ABDSM, Scott Craig, Rob Kibler, and others to draw attention to these subpar treatment encroachments.
- We host the annual Transform Dental Sleep Symposium as an answer to the age-old complaint among zillions of dentists: “I learned a lot about research and science at the AADSM, but I still don’t know what to do with any of it.” So, yeah, we put our a$$e$ on the line to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to host a meeting that’s focused on practical facets of dental sleep medicine. I’ve never viewed this as competition with the AADSM. It was never intended as an either/or but instead as a both/and complement.
You killed the messenger!
Which is why I was taken aback when the current AADSM president, Kevin Postol threatened me with banishment during this weekend’s annual meeting in Las Vegas. He pulled me aside for a thirty minute conversation that occasionally toed the line of contentiousness. The following transcript of our discourse isn’t verbatim, but the salient details are 100% accurately represented here:
JT: How’s it going, my man?
KP: Come here. You need to stop right now, or you’re never coming to this meeting again.
JT: Stop what?
KP: With all the negative comments you’re putting out on social media.
JT: Are you serious? Like what?
KP: Like, saying this venue is bad.
JT: It is. It’s a dump. Lots of people are saying the same thing.
KP: You don’t know how hard it is to put on a meeting.
JT: Um, yeah, I do. I’ve been doing it for years.
KP: Because you’re competition and I’m telling you, I’m sick of hearing your name from the board. The only reason you were allowed here this year is because I told them I’ve known you for a long time, think you’re a good person, and I’d talk to you to put an end to this.
JT: You’re a good person too, Kevin and I appreciate you bringing this to me. Competition though? I don’t sell anything to dentists. I don’t have a credentialing program. We support the AADSM, but what have I said that’s untrue?
KP: You said Daybreak, ProSomnus® Sleep Technologies, & Inspire Medical Systems have done more to increase awareness of OAT than the AADSM.
JT: That’s true.
KP: Were you in the session this morning where we showed the slides about all of our advocacy efforts? We gave a proposal to ProSomnus for consumer marketing and they didn’t want to do it. Our marketing works. I guarantee your wife’s practice gets so many patients from our advocacy.
JT: Uh, I don’t think that’s true and no, I don’t have a pass for the lectures, but a few people sent me photos and videos from the session. It’s great to see you doing that which is precisely why I posted earlier this week commending the AADSM on this very issue. I did that even though most of those efforts don’t really equate to patients in chairs. Nonetheless, did you see that post?
KP: No, I didn’t see it. I don’t really do social media.
JT: Whoa, wait, then how do you know what I’ve been posting about?
KP: People show me and there are nine board members that don’t want you here.
JT: Man, I gotta tell you, your approach to this conversation is really offputting. If you would’ve come to me and said, “Hey look, we’re on the same team, and we’re doing our best here. We aren’t perfect, but a unified front would be better”, we’d be having a very different discussion. But you didn’t do that after ignoring my texts…now you stop me in the exhibit hall and threaten to kick me out? Kevin, there’s no reason that we should have drafted a CMS position before the AADSM did. That’s ridiculous and if it takes our goading to get you guys to take some action, I can’t apologize for that.
KP: I’m just telling you that if you post one more negative thing, you won’t be allowed back here. I’m telling you.
JT: Then consider this my last AADSM meeting, Kev.
Your member dentists and their communities need you to do better. Know how I know? Because hundreds of them have told me so. I’m just relaying the message, but you killed the messenger.
Elvis has left the building!
REGISTER TODAY for the meeting hundreds of dental sleep professionals called “The BEST dental sleep event ever!”
Registration is now open for the Transform Dental Sleep Symposium to be held in Scottsdale, AZ January 30 – 31, 2026. Don’t miss out on these dynamic speakers presenting innovative information on practical topics designed to help your sleep practice grow.
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