EMPOWERING THROUGH EXPERIENCE: MY JOURNEY AS A DENTIST INTO DENTAL SLEEP MEDICINE

By Dr. Nadia Afzal

Some parts of life fall into place easily, while others require resilience, adaptation, and confidence in the unknown. My path in sleep and airway dentistry has been shaped by persistence and a willingness to step outside my comfort zone. Each challenge has pushed me to grow, learn, and redefine the way I approach patient care.

A Defining Moment

Several years ago, I attended an airway symposium via the Dawson Academy, expecting to learn about oral appliance therapy to help manage sleep apnea. I anticipated a straightforward educational experience that would enhance my ability to help manage patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. However, what I encountered was something far more impactful. As I absorbed the information presented, I began to recognize symptoms described in my own daughter, who was just five years old at the time.

She struggled with restless sleep, constant fatigue, and an overall sense of discomfort—issues that conventional medicine had overlooked. Realizing that her problems could be linked to airway issues was both eye-opening and validating. It confirmed my gut instinct that something was wrong despite being told otherwise. At that moment, my role shifted from just a regular attendee participating for continuing education to bring back to my patients–to a determined advocate. I dedicated myself to learning everything I could, not just for my daughter but for the many others who were suffering without answers.

A Leap Of Faith

For years, my career was centered around traditional dentistry—routine checkups, restorative procedures, and the rewarding work of helping patients maintain their oral health. But the symposium opened my eyes to a more critical connection between oral health, airway function, and overall wellness. That realization became a turning point in my professional and personal life.

Entering this field was both exciting and overwhelming. I had to move beyond general dentistry, learn new concepts, collaborate across specialties, and rethink my approach to patient care. The early days were filled with uncertainty, self-doubt, and frustration. Often, alone in my perspective, I pushed myself to fully understand these concepts so I could challenge my colleagues to think differently. Quality patient care requires collaboration, yet finding like-minded professionals isn’t always easy. I sought mentorship, pursued advanced training, and worked with other healthcare providers, even when advocating for an airway-focused approach which was met with skepticism. Challenging conventional medicine was necessary, and over time, I found a community of mentors, colleagues, and peers who shared my vision and reinforced my commitment to bridging dentistry and sleep medicine.

Finding Strength In Adversity

One of the most rewarding aspects of my journey has been witnessing the profound impact that dental sleep medicine can have on people’s lives. From helping exhausted mothers regain sleep and energy to seeing infants thrive after airway-focused interventions and aiding adults who have silently suffered from chronic issues—each case has reinforced the importance of this work.

I have met patients who had spent years struggling with undiagnosed airway issues, unaware that solutions even existed. Children labeled as hyperactive or inattentive found a new sense of calm and focus after their sleep and breathing were addressed. Parents who had spent endless nights worrying about their little ones finally found relief knowing their child’s health was improving. These moments of transformation remind me that pushing beyond familiar boundaries was necessary and essential.

Balancing Motherhood And Pursuing Knowledge

Pursuing education while balancing the responsibilities of being a mother has been one of the greatest challenges of my journey. There were countless nights of studying after putting my children to bed, long weekends spent at conferences while missing family moments, and the constant tug-of-war between professional ambition and maternal guilt. Sacrificing time away from my family was never easy, but I reminded myself that in doing so, I was setting an example for my children—showing them the importance of lifelong learning, resilience, and pursuing one’s passion with unwavering determination.

Motherhood has taught me patience, adaptability, and the ability to navigate challenges with grace. These qualities have seamlessly translated into my professional life, allowing me to approach my work with a sense of balance and perspective. More importantly, it has reinforced that women can be both devoted mothers and dedicated professionals—our ambitions need not be sacrificed; they can coexist and even complement each other.

The Power Of Empowerment

My desire to educate and empower others grew as my expertise in dental sleep medicine grew. I knew firsthand the struggles of learning a new specialty while balancing an existing practice, and I wanted to create opportunities for fellow dentists to integrate airway-focused care into their work. I started mentoring colleagues, sharing my story at invited talks, and advocating for a more comprehensive approach to dentistry that considers the airway and sleep health.

I discovered that empowerment is contagious. When you show others that growth and transformation are possible, you ignite a spark in them to explore new possibilities. Some of the most fulfilling moments of my career have been witnessing other dentists take the leap into this field—seeing them embrace new knowledge, implement life-changing treatments, and elevate the standard of care for their patients.

The Journey Continues

Looking back, I realize that my journey has never been just about expanding my dental expertise; it has been about evolving as a person and a professional. Every challenge, every victory, and every lesson has contributed to the clinician I am today. And if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that the journey is far from over.

Not too long ago, I had the privilege of hearing the story of an extraordinary adventurer—one of only twenty people in the world to have summited the highest peaks on all seven continents and traversed the North and South Poles. What struck me most was not his list of achievements but that he did not start as an expert climber. In fact, he had little experience and lacked the resources to climb his first peak. But what he did have was an unwavering will and trust in the process.

His account of scaling Mount Everest resonated deeply with me. The climb is not a single, uninterrupted ascent. Instead, climbers reach base camp and then push to Station #1 before returning to base camp to acclimate. They ascend to Station #2, come back down, and repeat the process, going higher each time while continuously returning to lower altitudes to adjust. It is a slow, deliberate, and sometimes frustrating journey, but each cycle strengthens the body for the ultimate push to the summit.

This process mirrors my own professional path. I have taken steps forward—learning new techniques, expanding my practice, and treating more complex cases—only to find myself returning to foundational principles to refine my approach. There have been moments where I felt like I was repeating steps, revisiting lessons I thought I had mastered. But just like the climber who must descend before ascending again, these cycles of progress and reflection propel me forward.

I have realized that in this journey my need for perfection or mastering everything before taking steps needs to be put aside. Too often, we delay action, thinking we need everything in place first. But the truth is growth happens in motion, not in waiting. Trusting the process, even when the path ahead was unclear, became one of the most valuable lessons of my path.

To any dentist considering a leap into dental sleep medicine or another uncharted area of healthcare, I say: go for it. The road may be uncertain, and you may not have all the answers at the start, but trust the process. Growth and transformation happen when you take action, even if all the pieces are not perfectly aligned. Like the climber making his way to the summit, progress isn’t always linear. But with perseverance, adaptation, and a belief in the journey itself, the path forward is always upward.

About the author:

Dr. Nadia Afzal is a dentist and diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine. She is currently practicing in Bethlehem, PA in a practice dedicated to treating tongue ties and sleep apnea. She is an affiliate with The Breathe Institute and a fellow with the American Laser Study Club. Her passion for treating airway health as it relates to overall health has placed her as a community leader. Not only is Dr. Afzal a recurring speaker at the teaching hospital of Temple University School of Medicine at St. Luke’s Hospital, she is also at the forefront of bringing about collaborative care in the Lehigh Valley.

In her free time, Dr. Afzal keeps herself busy with her 4 kids, traveling, gardening, and advocating for better health for all her patients.

Social Media Handles: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.nadiaafzal/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadia-afzal-dmd-89992995/