Layer by Layer: Integrating Oral Appliance Therapy into a Comprehensive Sleep Apnea Treatment Plan

Take the Accredited CE Quiz:

Learning Objectives:

• Evaluate patient-specific factors that influence selection of oral appliance therapy, including PAP intolerance or rejection, patient preferences, clinical presentation, and dental candidacy.
• Describe the oral appliance therapy process following referral, including dental evaluation, appliance selection, fitting, titration, treatment verification, and ongoing follow-up.
• Apply an interdisciplinary framework for physician-dentist communication, shared decision-making, and long-term monitoring of treatment effectiveness, adherence, and side effects.

Author Qualifications:

Patricia Fernandes Boettner, DDS, MS
Dr. Patricia Fernandes Boettner has been treating patients for TMD and obstructive sleep apnea for many years and joined The Facial Pain Center in Minnesota in June 2017. She attended the University of Minnesota, where she obtained her Doctorate of Dental Surgery, Master of Science and a certificate in TMD and Orofacial Pain. She attend the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine Mastery programs 1 and 2 and became a diplomat of the American board of dental sleep medicine in 2020. She continues to broaden her training and experience each year.

Dr. Boettner earned her first Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from Universidade Gama Filho in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2002. She then completed a Master of Science degree and Certificate in Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) and Orofacial Pain at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry in 2008. In 2014, she earned a second Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. Continuing her advanced education, Dr. Boettner completed Levels 1 and 2 of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine Mastery Program in 2020 and subsequently achieved Diplomate status with the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine that same year.
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Audrey Wells, MD
​With two decades of full-time clinical practice and extensive experience in digital health innovation, Dr. Wells believes sleep health is not a side issue. It is the biological foundation of metabolic health, cognitive function, emotional resilience, and long-term independence.

Her expertise spans insomnia, sleep apnea, and circadian rhythm disorders, as well as the complex intersection of sleep with menopause, weight management, and cardiometabolic disease. As a Menopause Society Certified Physician, she is especially known for developing women-centric sleep evaluation models that recognize how hormonal shifts, aging, and metabolic factors uniquely affect sleep health. 


At SLIIIP.com, Dr. Wells leads clinical oversight, provider education, and program development. She is building scalable comprehensive care pathways that combine home-based diagnostics, behavioral sleep therapy, medical management, and longitudinal follow-up to ensure patients receive true sleep restoration.

A nationally recognized speaker and educator, Dr. Wells presents at medical conferences, digital health forums, physician retreats, and professional summits across the country. She is a leading advocate for modernizing sleep medicine and delivering evidence-based care with integrity, efficiency, and heart.