Rethinking Where Sleep Apnea Screening Starts

For decades, the starting point for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) screening has been in a sleep clinic or after a patient reports symptoms severe enough to prompt a referral. But what if we’re missing a bigger opportunity? The reality is that many of the earliest, clearest clues to OSA aren’t found during a sleep study at all. They’re sitting in plain sight during everyday healthcare visits, often in places most patients never associate with sleep health.

Dentists. Orthodontists. Primary care physicians. Even optometrists. These providers regularly see structural indicators of OSA without realizing they’re seeing them. And patients often don’t mention symptoms, either because they don’t connect them to sleep apnea or because they don’t think the provider needs to know.

The Untapped Frontline for Early Detection

Every patient interaction is a potential screening moment especially in specialties that regularly examine the face, jaw, and airway.

Consider:

Dentists & Orthodontists routinely examine palate shape, jaw alignment, and oral cavity size. A narrow palate, overbite, or jaw recession (retrognathia) can all contribute to restricted airflow during sleep.
Primary Care Providers check weight, BMI, neck circumference, and sometimes even facial profile during general physical exams.
Optometrists might notice midface fullness, facial asymmetry, or other craniofacial traits that hint at airway restriction.

These are not cosmetic observations, they’re anatomical markers with a direct connection to OSA risk.

Why These Clues Get Missed

The reason so many patients slip through the cracks isn’t that providers don’t notice the traits, it’s that they don’t link them to sleep health. Intake forms in these settings rarely include sleep-specific questions unless the patient raises the issue. That means:

A patient who doesn’t snore loudly or feel excessively tired may “pass” screening, even if their anatomy suggests high risk.
The provider may observe structural traits but lacks a clear, validated way to translate that observation into a referral or further testing.

How AI Bridges the Gap

Anatomy-aware, AI-powered screening tools change this dynamic. At Soliish, we built FaceX to do exactly that translate what a provider sees into an objective risk assessment in seconds.

Here’s how it works:

Selfie-style capture: Taken in-office by staff or by the patient at home before the visit.
AI-driven analysis: The image is assessed for craniofacial traits linked to OSA risk, using models trained on clinically validated datasets.
Instant insight: The provider gets a clear risk score and guidance on recommended next steps.

Zero Disruption to Workflow

The key to adoption in non-sleep settings is frictionless integration. FaceX doesn’t require:

Extra hardware or equipment.
Manual scoring or questionnaires.
A separate appointment.

Instead, it fits naturally into existing workflows, making it possible to screen patients without adding burden to staff or patients.

The Patient Story That Could’ve Been Missed

Imagine a 42-year-old patient visiting their dentist for a routine cleaning. No major complaints, healthy BMI, no mention of snoring. But the hygienist runs a FaceX scan as part of the intake process. The AI flags elevated OSA risk based on facial structure. The dentist initiates a referral to a sleep telehealth provider. Within weeks, the patient is diagnosed and starts treatment avoiding years of undetected apnea and its long-term health consequences.

A New Mindset for Patient Care

Non-sleep specialists are an untapped front line in the fight against OSA. With the right tools, they can identify risk earlier, refer patients sooner, and improve long-term outcomes without changing the core of their practice.

When detection happens “beyond the chair,” everyone wins. Because early action isn’t just about better sleep, it’s about better health for life.

Beyond the Chair: How Non-Sleep Specialists Can Spot OSA Risk in Seconds