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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…
How To Keep That “I Voted” Buzz Going in The Dental Practice
Remember how proud you were that you made your voice heard in the recent election? How about making your voice heard in the dental practice?
Your Patients Have Questions – Each of You Should Have the Same Answer
Your patients walk into your practice all of the time with questions. Ensuring everyone in the practice is on the same page when it comes to the answer is critical. Here’s why.
Why This Study Should Be a Wake-up Call to Dentistry
The lady in this picture is different than you, right? She’s different than every other person in the world as well. So why are we treating our patients like they’re all the same person? Dr. David Rice dives into some thoughts.
New Zealand residents pulling their own teeth after dental waiting list grows
Residents of one part of New Zealand have resorted to pulling their own teeth rather than waiting for weeks to see a dentist.
What’s Keeping You From Being Good Rather Than Great?
One degree can make the difference betweenwater boiling and just being really hot. I know a lot of really good dental assistants out there. I mean, they are excellent at what they do clinically and their people skills are superb. Yet, they know and I know that they have weaknesses in their careers. Heck, we…
4 Principles to Grow Your Dental Practice
By: Dr. David Rice “Mask Mouth”. What does that mean for your dental practice? Let’s be honest. Our patients hear things in the news and then wonder about them before they come into our practices. A perfect example of this is “mask mouth.” Go ahead. You can click here to read about it. I’ll be waiting for…
Wildfires and another link between the mouth and lungs
The devastating wildfires in the United States are all over the news and likely on the minds of your patients One of the best ways to introduce a conversation is to find a point of shared knowledge. That can include events in the news, such as the wildfires that have devastated so many in the…
Here’s the Key to Explaining the Oral-Systemic Link
Do you know the difference betweenmajor surgery and minor surgery? That’s the start of a joke that a friend of mine once shared with me. Do you know the answer? Well, my friend said, it’s major surgery if it is happening to you. It’s minor surgery if it’s happening to someone else. Isn’t that true…
The Importance of Sticking Together and Reaching Out for Help
By: Dr. David Rice Let’s talk about something that is taught to not talk about: Mental Health. Ask for Help Friends, there is nothing wrong with asking for help. NOTHING. In dentistry, so often, there are tough times and tough days. If we internalize it and don’t talk about it, unfortunate and unnecessary things can…
31 tips to improve your mental health
Let’s think about some things that you can do every day to improve your mental health With that in mind, we came across these 31 tips from Mental Health America that can help everyone be at their best mentally. So often we think about what we can do to improve ourselves physically. But, during these…


