Oral Appliances called Mandibular Advancement Devices are proven treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, and the VA has recognized them as a treatment option.  Some VA facilities have dentists on site to custom fit the appliance, and all other facilities can send to a provider in the Community Care Network (CCN).

Effective Treatment Option

Research has shown Mandibular Advancement Devices (MAD) are effective especially for mild and moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).  The appliances are designed to hold the lower jaw slightly forward during sleep to keep the upper airway open, read more.  The VA clinical guidelines for OSA even list it as an option.  After a year-long national shortage of CPAPs, many veterans are going untreated, but no veteran should be left to suffer with OSA when oral appliances are an effective alternative and available now.

If you, or a loved one, is a Veteran that is interested in an Oral Appliance to treat Sleep Apnea contact Millennium Sleep Lab to help navigate the VA process!

Acquiring an Appliance through the VA

VA providers can utilize the Community Care Network (CCN) to refer patients for oral appliance which is considered a medical device even though it’s delivered by a dentist.    How it Works:

  • After a veteran tests positive for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), his or her VA provider orders oral appliance treatment and sends to the VA’s Community Care department.
  • Community Care representative selects the oral appliance service (there is already a SEOC in the VA system with all the codes related to this treatment) and selects a provider near the veteran that is in the CCN network
  • The local dentist provides consult, takes impressions, delivers the custom appliance, and adjusts the device over 180 days to ensure management of OSA.
  • The local provider bills the VA CCN (either through Optum or TriWest) so there is no out of pocket cost to the veteran

Finding a CCN Provider

The VA has a networks of thousands of providers that are part of community care that either care for patients when they are not near a VA facility or provide services that the VA doesn’t offer.   Since only a few VA facilities have a dentists on staff trained to customize and fit oral appliance, most vets have the option of going to a community care provider for oral appliance.

Unfortunately, there are very few dentists contracted with community care to provide medical services, which makes sense since most dentist don’t’ provide medical care.  Millennium Sleep Lab is unique because it is a CCN medical provider and has dentists on staff.  Millennium recognized the need and has hired sleep dentists near dozens of VA facilities to treat veterans.  VA Community Care offices can select Millennium Sleep Lab as the provider for oral appliance therapy.

Millennium Provides Oral Appliance to Vets

Millennium has a long list of locations where they currently have dentists (Sleep Impressions is the name of their dental network).  If there isn’t one near you or your VA facility, contact Millennium to have one added.  They can also assist in showing your VA provider how to order.