Integrating Dental Sleep Medicine Into Dental Education: A Comprehensive Framework for Curriculum and Clinical Practice

Dental sleep medicine (DSM) is increasingly relevant to dental practice, yet its integration into dental education remains variable. Recent Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) standards, adopted in 2026 and effective July 1, 2028, include risk assessment for sleep apnea within predoctoral dental education, further highlighting the need for structured educational approaches. This article describes the development and implementation of a comprehensive DSM curriculum and clinical framework at the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. The Dugoni School's approach has evolved to include five components: structured predoctoral education, clinical screening and referral, faculty development and calibration, postgraduate and advanced training, and research. A central feature at the Dugoni School is the Pacific Sleep Clinic and its collaboration with the Stanford Sleep Medicine Center, supporting interdisciplinary referral pathways, patient care, and educational experiences.