Sleep Medicine Education in Dental Schools and Residency Programs in Italian Universities

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Sleep Apnea Syndrome, Obstructive Apnea Dental Education Dyssomnias Nervous System Diseases Respiration Disorders Respiratory Tract Diseases Sleep Apnea Syndromes Sleep Apnea, Obstructive Sleep Disorders, Intrinsic Sleep Wake Disorders Sleep-Disordered Breathing

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Clinica Odontostomatologica - Fondazione Policlinico IRCSS A. Gemelli

Roma, 00168, Italy

About this study

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.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Directors of undergraduate Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics degree programs in Italian universities whose email address is publicly available online
Directors of postgraduate residency programs in Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry in Italian universities whose email address is publicly available online

Exclusion criteria

Directors affiliated with the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS or the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (to avoid conflict of interest)

Treatment and study plan

Sleep medicine education questionnaire

Other

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.

Primary outcomes

Presence and extent of sleep medicine education within Italian undergraduate dental programs and postgraduate residency programs in Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry

Time frame: Baseline

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.

Secondary outcomes

Comparison of sleep medicine education content and quantity between Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry residency programs

Time frame: Baseline

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.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Sleep Medicine Training in Dentistry at Italian Universities: A Prospective Observational Study

Acronym: Sleep-OD

Important dates

Study start: 2026
Primary completion: 2026
Study completion: 2026
First posted: Jun 3, 2026
Registry last updated: Jun 17, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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