An observational study in Sleep Apnea Syndrome, Obstructive, Dental Education and Sleep-disordered Breathing, sponsored by Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in Italy. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-17.
Sponsored by Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS · Observational
This study aims to assess whether sleep medicine education is provided within Italian undergraduate dental programs (Degree in Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics) and postgraduate specialization programs in Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry. A secondary objective is to compare the level of sleep medicine exposure between Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry residency programs.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) affects 9% to 49% of the general population and is associated with multiple comorbidities and reduced life expectancy. Despite its high prevalence, a large proportion of patients remain undiagnosed, partly due to limited education among healthcare professionals. Dental sleep medicine is an emerging field; the Italian Ministry of Health has called upon dentists to act as "diagnostic sentinels" for patients at risk of sleep disorders. Orthodontists and pediatric dentists are also involved in the treatment of some sleep disorders through mandibular advancement devices (MADs) and palatal expansion appliances. Recent studies have highlighted a lack of sleep medicine training in dental programs in the United States; however, no study has ever been conducted in Italy to assess the level of exposure of dental students and residents to sleep dentistry.
2,198 studies on the registry are indexed under Sleep Apnea, Obstructive; 469 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 70 is below the median of 104 across 648 observational studies indexed under Sleep Apnea, Obstructive.
Browse Sleep Apnea, Obstructive studies →Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS is the lead sponsor of 920 studies on the registry; 529 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
All directors of Italian dental undergraduate and postgraduate programs
Exclusion Criteria:
- Directors affiliated with the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS or the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (to avoid conflict of interest)
A questionnaire including items from the validated Sleep Education Survey (American Academy of Neurology Sleep Section) is sent via email to directors of dental degree programs and residency programs in Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry.
Presence and extent of sleep medicine education within Italian undergraduate dental programs and postgraduate residency programs in Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry
To observe whether sleep medicine education is provided within the undergraduate Degree Course in Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics and within the Postgraduate Specialization Programs in Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics at Italian universities, as assessed through a questionnaire including items from the validated Sleep Education Survey (American Academy of Neurology Sleep Section). Responses will be analyzed using descriptive statistics, with means and standard deviations for continuous variables and frequencies for categorical variables.
Time frame: Baseline
Comparison of sleep medicine education content and quantity between Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry residency programs
To compare the level of sleep medicine education exposure obtained in Orthodontics Specialization Schools with that of Pediatric Dentistry Specialization Schools, as assessed through the same questionnaire. The variables related to the content and quantity of training received will be compared using the chi-square test (α = 0.05). The questionnaire includes items from the validated Sleep Education Survey (American Academy of Neurology Sleep Section). Items are assessed on a categorical or ordinal scale; higher scores indicate greater exposure to sleep medicine education.
Time frame: Baseline
Plan to share: No
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This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in May 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS