Sleep Matters Podcast

In this episode, the co-hosts take a step back and tell you who they are, how they got here, and why Sleep Matters. Jason's path into dental sleep started nearly 20 years ago at a large dental lab. Early demand for snore devices sent him down a rabbit hole that never ended — device inventors, sleep labs, key opinion leaders, CE courses, software, publishing, and eventually Transform Dental Sleep,...

In this episode of Sleep Matters, Dr. Erin Elliott and Jason Tierney are joined by inventor Jim Marsh and sleep researcher Dr. Poppy May Gardiner to explore an unconventional but increasingly talked-about sleep technology: SleepVibe. Jim Marsh, a mechanical engineer turned sleep device inventor, shares the touching personal story that led him to develop SleepVibe after a period of extreme sleep de...

In this episode, Dr. Anthony Bolamperti joins Dr. Erin Elliott and Jason Tierney to talk about how laser dentistry transformed his practice, why tethered oral tissues are often overlooked in sleep medicine, and how functional frenuloplasty can become a powerful tool for treating airway patients. After years of trying different laser systems and struggling to find the right technology, Dr. Bolamper...

In this episode, Dr. Craig Harder joins Dr. Erin Elliott and Jason Tierney to talk about the kind of career shift most dentists hope they never have to face, but every practice owner should be prepared for. After nearly 30 years in private practice, Dr. Harder was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The diagnosis changed his timeline, his relationship with clinical dentistry, and the way he though...

In this episode, Ryan Javanbakht joins Jason Tierney and Dr. Erin Elliott to break down one of the biggest issues in dental sleep medicine: patient follow-through on testing. Most practices think they have a testing problem. They don’t; they have a communication problem. Patients drop off because they don’t fully understand why it matters, what happens next, or what it will cost. Without that clar...

In this episode, Jason Tierney and Dr. Erin Elliott talk with Dr. Johnny Ukich about the slow shift from focusing mainly on cavities and traditional pediatric care to recognizing the early signs of sleep-disordered breathing in kids. What does it take for a busy pediatric dentist to start seeing airway differently? For Dr. Ukich, that shift didn’t come from one lecture or a EUREKA! moment. It came...

Why do the thousands of dollars you spend on dental consultants evaporate the moment your team gets busy? Dr. Max Kerr breaks down the real reason your practice falls back into bad habits, office drama, and useless meetings. Learn how the EOS framework forces total team accountability, kills breakroom gossip, and builds a structural foundation that permanently solves your biggest operational heada...

The "business of dental sleep medicine" shouldn’t feel like a dirty secret - and PROFIT shouldn’t be a curse word in sleep. In this episode, Jason Tierney , Dr. Erin Elliott , and Dr. Max Kerr stop apologizing for building healthy businesses. Dr. Kerr explains how his own "rheostat regret"—a deep-seated dislike for traditional drilling and filling—led him to master the Entrepreneurial Operating Sy...

Dental Sleep Medicine is like Groundhog Day. Why? In this episode, Jason Tierney and Dr. Erin Elliott sit down with the "fierce advocate" himself, Dr. Steve Carstensen , to examine why the field is moving at the speed of a dial-up modem. Steve has been in the room where it happens—serving on boards, teaching the masses, and pushing the rock up the hill—and he’s got some thoughts. If you’ve ever fe...

You did your job. You addressed the patient’s breathing and airway issues. But they are still spending their days feeling like they haven’t slept. What’s the deal? This week, sleep expert and psychiatrist Dr. Shane Creado joins Jason Tierney and Dr. Erin Elliott to solve the mystery of the "tired-but-treated" patient. We are diving into the "busy brain," the trap of sleep trackers, and why your be...

What if your referral sources keep sending patients, but your delivery numbers never match up?   Scott Craig joins hosts Jason Tierney and Dr. Erin Elliott to break down a glaring reason many sleep practices stall: they track activity, not conversion. This isn't about "doing more marketing"—it’s about plugging the leaks in your pipeline. Scott shares how he transitioned from a general dental setti...

What if that "cute" childhood snore is actually the sound of your child gasping for air, struggling to stay alive? In this high-energy, eye-opening episode, Dr. Stacy Becker—one-third of the powerhouse team behind ASAP Pathway —joins us to dismantle the myth that kids "just grow out of it." After witnessing her own father struggle with CPAP intolerance and watching her own children show the classi...

What happens to a patient’s heart when they receive life-altering news alone, staring at a cold computer screen? In this deeply moving episode, Lesia Tierney —a 20-year leader in dental sleep medicine—shares the moment her world shifted. After decades of helping convert patients, she found herself on the other side of the consult desk, navigating a breast cancer diagnosis. This isn't just a talk a...

What happens when the life you’ve built no longer fits? Dr. Suzanne Thai, a prominent dental sleep medicine practitioner and TEDx speaker, joins Jason Tierney and Dr. Erin Elliott to discuss her journey from "existential dread" in general dentistry to finding renewed purpose in sleep medicine. This episode dives deep into the power of vulnerability, the necessity of mastering communication, and th...

Why do some oral appliances fail before they ever reach the patient’s mouth? Sonnie Bocala, founder of Apex Dental Sleep Lab, pulls back the curtain on what really happens inside the lab, why bite records matter more than devices, and how dentists can avoid the mistakes that lead to remakes, broken appliances, and poor outcomes. What We Discuss with Sonnie Bocala The Bite Problem in Dental Sleep M...

Why are GLP-1 drugs exploding in sleep medicine, yet most patients still struggle to lose and keep off weight? Dr. Jonathan Lown breaks down why obesity is not a willpower problem, how GLP-1s change sleep apnea outcomes, and why dentists need to rethink how they talk about weight, airway, and treatment options. What We Discuss with Dr. Jonathan Lown: GLP-1s in Sleep Medicine: Why tirzepatide and o...

Why do thousands of dentists take sleep courses but never treat a single patient? Dr. Erin Elliott explains the "Implementation Gap" and how to bridge the friction between interest and action. What We Discuss with Dr. Erin Elliott: The "So What? Now What?" Framework: Why most continuing education (CE) fails practitioners and how to filter clinical information through the lens of immediate office i...