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Dr. Steve Carstensen, DDS, is the co-founder of Premier Sleep Associates, a dental practice dedicated to treating obstructive sleep apnea and snoring.
After graduating from Baylor College of Dentistry in 1983, he and his wife, Midge, a dental hygienist, started a private practice of general dentistry in Texas before moving to native Seattle in 1990.
In 1996 he achieved Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentists in recognition of over 3000 hours of advanced education in dentistry, with an increasing amount of time in both practice and classwork devoted to sleep medicine.
A lifelong educator himself, Dr. Steve is currently the Sleep Education Director for The Pankey Institute. As a volunteer leader for the American Dental Association, he was a Program Chairman and General Chairman for the Annual Session, the biggest educational event the Association sponsors. For the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine he’s been a Board Member, Secretary Treasurer, and President-Elect. In 2006 he achieved Certification by the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine.
In 2014, he became the founding Editor-in-Chief of Dental Sleep Practice magazine, a publication for medical professionals treating sleep patients. He is a frequent contributor to webinars and other online education in this field.
Breathing and Airway Support in Pediatric Dentistry
By: Steve Carstensen DDSThis Topic Originally Appeared on PankeyGram.Org. Dr. Carstensen granted permission for igniteDDS to share with…
Airway Dentistry: Making a Difference for Patients’ Wellness
By: Steve Carstensen, DDS This Topic Originally Appeared on PankeyGram.Org. Dr. Carstensen granted permission for igniteDDS to share…
Improving the Quality of Life for Patients with Sleep Apnea
By: Steve Carstensen DDSTopic originally appeared on Pankey.org: Dr. Carstensen allowed permission for igniteDDS to share with…
Types of Retirement Plans
By: Bruce Bryen As a dental school graduate, you probably know a lot about retirement plans from talking to your peers and asking about coverage with your employer. You may already have a retirement plan in place, which is great! But, this does not necessarily mean that you are up to date with an understanding of how…
Tips to Keep Your Dental Patients Happy & Loyal
By: Anais Osipova Currently, in the U.S., there are over 200,000 active dentists, and about 60% of Americans visit a dental office at least once a year. With that much competition, you may wonder how your dental practice can retain patients, especially happy and loyal ones. 5 Tips To Keep Your Dental Patients Happy With…
Posterior Open Bites, What Does it Mean?
By: Jeffrey W. Horowitz, DMD, FAGD, D-ABDSM, D-ASBA Have you ever run into posterior open bites during your time as a dentist? Here is a case study on my experience with it. Posterior Open Bites: Case Study Posterior Open Bites Etiology Diagnosis Permanent postural change, secondary to improved condyle/disk relationship and improved muscle function. Initial…
What Dental School Didn’t Teach You about “Adulting”
By: Savanah Craig It won’t shock anyone to know that there are many important things that dental school didn’t teach you. Unfortunately, many of the topics that dental school skipped over are critical to your success and are necessary to protect the investments you made in this career. 3 Things Dental School Didn’t Teach You…
Pitting and Erosive Tooth Lesions, What Does it Mean?
By: Jeffrey W. Horowitz, DMD, FAGD, D-ABDSM, D-ASBA Have you ever run into pitting and erosive tooth lesions during your time as a dentist? Here is a case study on my experience with it. Pitting and Erosive Tooth Lesions: Case Study Patient Information: Etiology of Tooth Structure Loss Tooth erosion happens when acids wear away…
Why Don’t Physicians Refer to Dentists?
By: Teresa DeNike There is growing evidence in the scientific literature that oral health is linked to the well-being of the rest of the body. A link has been found between poor sleep and periodontitis, with a shocking 36% increase in patients with chronic sleep loss; sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition that dentists…
Facial Asymmetries and Discrepancies, What Does it Mean?
By: Jeffrey W. Horowitz, DMD, FAGD, D-ABDSM, D-ASBA Have you ever run into facial asymmetries and discrepancies during your time as a dentist? Here is a mini presentation on how I dealt with this. Facial Asymmetries and Discrepancies: Case Study Patient A: 13-year-old white female presents for an initial orthodontic evaluation Medical history is positive…
Dear D1s: Welcome to Dental School
By: Savanah Craig Welcome to Dental School! You have worked so hard for this moment, and I want to be the first to welcome you to the most challenging four years of your life! I know that you’re thinking that I’m just another exhausted upperclassman, who is trying to discourage you. A few months ago,…
Chronically Enlarged Tonsils, What Does It Mean?
By: Jeffrey W. Horowitz, DMD, FAGD, D-ABDSM, D-ASBA Chronically enlarged tonsils are a common condition, more likely to happen in children. Chronically enlarged tonsils are associated with: Frequent sore throat, ear, and throat infection. Enlarged adenoids, and poor nasal breathing. Poor nasal breathing leads to mouth breathing. Mouth breathing changes tongue posture. Poor tongue posture…
The Link Between Periodontal Disease and Heart Failure
By: Kevin Henry A new study has given dental professionals yet another reason to talk to their patients about the importance of maintaining their oral health in order to maintain and even improve their overall health. This study was released at the start of July in one of the Journals of the American College of…


