October 18th, 1989 - Dr. Halstrom
falls asleep at the wheel.
With a great deal of good fortune I was able to walk away from a serious single car
accident. Following the accident I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I tried
CPAP therapy unsuccessfully as I was unable to accommodate to the daily requirements of
wearing the mask.
When considering surgery I decided to pursue the non-invasive and reversible option
of oral appliances first. After trying several of the device designs available I set
about the task of creating an appliance that would solve my sleep apnea problem, as well
as provide a high level of comfort. As a teeth grinder (bruxism) I also needed an
appliance that offered some lateral movement as well as durability.
From an early balsa wood design evolving to the precision titanium part the Halstrom
Hinge®, that forms the integral part of The Silencer® oral appliance, my invention has
now helped many thousands of patients world-wide in finding a comfortable and effective
solution to their snoring and/or sleep apnea.
Dr. Wayne Halstrom
B.A., D.D.S.,
F.A.D.I., F.P.F.A., F.A.C.D
Diplomate American Board
of Dental Sleep Medicine
Adjunct Professor -
Respiratory Therapy,
Thompson Rivers
University
Dr. Halstrom graduated from the
University of Alberta with his D.D.S. in 1960 (over 48 years of experience), after
obtaining his B.A. from the University of Saskatchewan in 1956. He maintained a
prosthodontic/general practice in North Vancouver, B.C. from 1961 to 1991. Since
1991 Dr. Halstrom has limited his practice to the treatment of Snoring and Sleep
Apnea. Dr. Halstrom is the Clinical Director of "Dr. Halstrom - Sleep Apnea
& Snoring Clinics".
He is the Past-President
of The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) and The Association of Dental Surgeons of British
Columbia (BC Dental Association). He has served as a member of the Board of
Governors and a Director of the CDA since 1999.
He has served with the
University of British Columbia as a part-time clinical instructor in the Department of
Prosthodontics at various times over the years from 1978 to 1991. He was a member of
the Joint Medical-Dental sleep research team from 1989 to 1993, and carried a rank of
Clinical Assistant Professor.
Dr. Halstrom is pleased
to announce that as of September 2008 he has joined Thompson Rivers University as an
Adjunct Professor of Respiratory Therapy.
He is a member of the Canadian Sleep
Society and The American Sleep Disorders Association. He has been credentialed by
the Certification Board of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine, relating to
proficiency in the use of oral appliances in the management of sleep related breathing
disorders. He is a Member of the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain, Dr.
Halstrom has been published in Oral Health, The Journal of the Canadian Dental
Association, and numerous trade journals.
