Dr. Randy Patch is uniquely qualified and experienced to help people suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Upon graduating from dental school he and a fellow dental classmate were offered positions with advanced standing in the University of British Columbia medical school, due in part to their interest in further special training. Three years later they added the letters MD to their degree credentials.
He came to Kamloops and the Royal Inland Hospital for a six week ‘elective’ during his final year of Medical School, was enamoured both by Kamloops and surroundings and the Royal Inland Hospital community, so that after completing his internship training, he accepted the invitation to return to practice here.
Twelve years ago, Dr. Patch was employed by the British Columbia Dental Association, serving over 3,000 dentists, as the new director of member services.
During the summer of 2013, he was directed by the board to review the standards and guidelines for dentists to follow to fabricate mandibular repositioning appliances (MRA) for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
As part of this review, he met with Dr. Wayne Halstrom, who during the 1990’s was a past president of the both the British Columbia Dental Association and two years later the Canadian Dental Association. Unfortunately
Wayne had suffered severe OSA for years and had failed several treatments including many trials utilizing continuous positive airway pressure (C-Pap) machines.
He knew about sleep appliance treatments but could not find one he could wear with confidence, so he decided to construct his own oral device.
His resulting “Silencer” mandibular repositioning appliance (MRA) met with all the standards and guidelines that the college settled on twenty years later.
“He convinced me to become involved with treating sleep disorders, and I enrolled in the senior year respiratory class at Thompson Rivers University dealing with sleep disorders as well as taking Dr. Halstrom’s course on MRA fabrication and titration,” says Dr. Patch.
“Thus began my new career as a ‘sleep doctor and dentist’. For the past year we’ve used an updated SomnoDent Appliance which is stronger and lighter.”
Mandibular repositioning appliances (MRA) or Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT)?
OSA is a partial or complete obstruction of the upper airway when the back of the tongue falls against the back of the throat, impeding or blocking the air intake during sleep.
The tongue is a very unique muscle and has only one end attached to bone; a single connection that is found on the inner side of the front of the jawbone, otherwise known as the mandible.
If the mandible moves back or forward the tongue follows exactly.
“Therefore, if we move the mandible forward, we then prevent the airway blockage, hence stopping the snoring or the apnea events,” explains Dr. Patch.
“An MRA gently and accurately moves and holds the mandible forward during sleep.”
For the past 10 years, as both a physician and dental surgeon, Dr. Patch has treated hundreds of sleep apnea patients by fabricating precision fitted, mandibular repositioning appliances which help them eliminate snoring and apneas and regain better oxygen intake during sleep.
