David Gergen Stages Come Back
Dr. Jim Moreau, a general dentist from the New Orleans area, is partnering with the Pro Player Health Alliance (PPHA) on February 1 to screen NFL football players for sleep apnea.
The PPHA is continuing its momentum with former NFL legends to help spread awareness on the deadly disorder Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Sleep apnea has taken the life of at least one former NFL great, Reggie White, and it is believed that sleep apnea is prevalent among other active and retired players as well.
Moreau has over 12 years of experience working with patients with disorders related to TMJ, facial muscles and occlusion (bites). In 2009, the year the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl, Moreau was invited to help provide specialized performance athletic mouth guards to about 25 New Orleans Saints players. Because of his knowledge and experience with neuromuscular dentistry and the role of jaw position and open airways, Moreau also recognized the scope of Sleep Breathing Disorders and the impact it can have on a person’s health. He works with board certified sleep physicians in Southeast Louisiana and Mississippi to screen patients for OSA and provide alternative oral device therapy for sleep apnea patients where other treatment methods may have failed.
In conjunction with upcoming Super Bowl events, NFL players and former players will undergo health screenings under the direction of NFLPA cardiologist Dr. Archie Roberts of Boston. As an adjunct, Moreau will screen for sleep apnea and provide CPAP alternative treatment, when appropriate, through oral appliance therapy. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is considered the preferred treatment for sleep apnea patients, but a large percentage of patients can’t wear a CPAP mask. Rather than leave the life-threatening disorder untreated, qualified dentists like Moreau are now able to provide effective treatment through custom fitted appliances which move the jaw forward and keep the airway open during sleep.
“The challenge here is to get the results we’re looking for with regard to the sleep apnea without putting the jaw joints at risk or changing the way the patient bites down during the day,” Moreau says.
Because of his unique expertise combining TMJ, fitting performance mouth guards with attention to open airways, and understanding sleep breathing disorders, Moreau has been able to successfully help many patients overcome sleep apnea and potentially add years to their lives.
After screening patients for the sleep disorder, they work with a board certified sleep physician who properly diagnoses the patient, usually involving an overnight sleep study. The home sleep studies will be done with an innovated device called the NOX-T3 by CareFusion, which donated multiple units for the screening of these players. These studies will be under the supervision of Andre Puleo, RPSGT.
“After we fit the patient for an oral appliance, make necessary adjustments, and demonstrate the patient being comfortable with the device, we refer them back to the sleep lab for a follow-up study,” says Moreau.
Moreau says the follow-up studies have shown to be equal to the results of CPAP for mild, moderate and even some severe apnea cases.
These Super Bowl screenings coordinated by the New Orleans NFLPA Retired Players Chapter will take place on February 1, 2013, from 10:00am to 2:00pm at Moreau’s New Orleans Sleep-Dentistry location within the General Dentistry office of Dr. Frank Martello. Both doctors Moreau and Martello are working in support of the PPHAcampaign to “Tackle Sleep Apnea” which is a national touring campaign. The campaign consists of events in states all over the nation hosted by different physicians and dentists, who screen, diagnose, and treat sleep apnea. Statistically, over 60% of the NFL and former NFL players are suffering from sleep apnea and the campaign gives them, along with health care professionals, the opportunity to raise awareness and save lives through sharing their personal stories.
New Orleans Super Bowl Screening Specifics:
Date: February 1, 2013
Time: 10:00am to 2:00pm
Location: Dr. Jim Moreau and Dr. Frank Martello’s Dental Office, 1502 Amelia Street, New Orleans, LA 70115
Toll-free phone number: 1-855-809-7645
About Pro Player Health Alliance
The Pro Players Health Alliance(PPHA) is an organization dedicated to helping former NFL players, through providing testing and treatment options for those who suffer from sleep apnea. In addition, the PPHA is dedicated to integrating education and raising sleep apnea awareness, in a fun and memorable way. In addition to the campaign, the PPHA is dedicated to testing and getting people treated who suffer from sleep apnea. The PPHA was created by David Gergen, President of Gergen’s Orthodontic Lab, Rani Ben-David, President of Sleep Group Solutions, and Former NFL legends.
About David Gergen
David Gergen, CDT and President of Pro Player Health Alliance, has been a nationally respected dental lab technician for over 25 years. He received the award for “The Finest Orthodontic Technician in the Country” given by Columbus Dental in 1986. He also has been appointed chair of the dental wing of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy a national interdisciplinary academy dedicated to sleep training and education with over 60,000 members. David rolled out of bed on September 12, 1981 and had his career “ah ha” moment. He knew he was going to be an orthodontic technician and he knew he was going to help people all over the country to help treat their sleep disorders in partnership with their dentists. He has worked for some of the pioneers in the orthodontic and sleep dentistry fields. He was the personal technician for the likes of Dr. Robert Ricketts, Dr. Ronald Roth, Dr. A. Paul Serrano, Dr. Clark Jones, Dr. Harold Gelb, Dr. Joseph R. Cohen, Dr. Rodney Willey, Dr. Allan Bernstein, and Dr. Thien Pham. One of his proudest achievements is receiving The National Leadership award for Arizona Small Businessman of the Year in 2004.
For more information on David Gergen, visit: http://gergensortho.com
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