How to Find a Sleep Specialist
Your sleep study results are a starting point, not a treatment plan. The next step is a clinician who can review your full results and help you decide what to do. Here is how to find the right one.
Start with your primary care doctor
For most people, the fastest route is a referral from a primary care physician. Many sleep centers prefer or require a referral, and insurance plans often need one before they will cover an evaluation or treatment. Bring your sleep study report and a short list of your symptoms to that visit, so your doctor can point you to the right kind of specialist.
Find an accredited sleep center
A sleep medicine physician is a doctor who is board certified in sleep medicine and leads the team that diagnoses and treats sleep disorders. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) accredits sleep centers and keeps a public directory you can search by location.
Accredited centers have a board-certified sleep medicine physician on the team, which is a useful quality signal when you are choosing where to go.
For an oral appliance, find a qualified sleep dentist
If you and your physician are considering an oral appliance (a custom dental device worn at night) instead of or alongside CPAP, the provider who fits it is a dentist trained in dental sleep medicine. The American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM) lists qualified dentists you can search by location. A sleep dentist works alongside your physician, who still makes the diagnosis.
What to look for
- Board certification in sleep medicine for the physician who oversees your care.
- AASM accreditation for the sleep center or lab.
- For an oral appliance, a dentist qualified in dental sleep medicine who coordinates with your physician.
Telehealth is increasingly an option
Many sleep medicine practices now offer virtual visits, and home sleep apnea testing can often be arranged without an in-person lab stay. If travel or scheduling is a barrier, ask whether a telehealth evaluation is available.
Before your appointment
Read your sleep study report first so you can ask better questions. The AHI Interpreter walks through what your AHI severity tier means and what the treatment landscape looks like, and the guide to reading your sleep study report covers the rest of the numbers.
This page is educational and does not diagnose sleep apnea or replace evaluation by a qualified clinician.