Dr. Anthony Scianni returns to screening former NFL players for sleep apnea

Colts Neck dentist Dr. Anthony Scianni is resuming work with the Pro Player Health Alliance to screen former NFL players for obstructive sleep apnea after stepping back during the pandemic. The effort reflects both a personal loss in his family and a broader push to identify a condition that often goes undiagnosed.

Why it matters: - Obstructive sleep apnea remains widely underdiagnosed, with research suggesting tens of millions of Americans may not know they have it. - Early identification can lead to medical evaluation and treatment before symptoms contribute to broader health problems. - Scianni's renewed screening work focuses on former NFL players, a group that may have elevated risk and repeated exposure to sleep-related health concerns.

What happened: - Dr. Anthony Scianni, D.M.D., a Colts Neck, New Jersey dentist with 40 years in practice, is returning to screening former NFL players for obstructive sleep apnea. - Scianni is resuming that work with the Pro Player Health Alliance. - The renewed effort comes weeks after Scianni launched his first podcast and stepped into public view. - Scianni first became focused on sleep apnea after the death of his brother in 2000. - Scianni said his brother was never tested for sleep apnea and may have had undiagnosed sleep apnea.

The details: - Scianni said his brother died at age 50. - Scianni said sleep apnea was never raised as a possible concern before his brother's death. - A continuing education course on sleep apnea in Chicago led Scianni into the field. - At that course, Scianni met one of his future partners, who worked in a program screening and treating former NFL players. - Scianni was later invited to meet the program's other partners in person. - The Pro Player Health Alliance selected Scianni to treat former NFL players for obstructive sleep apnea. - Scianni worked with players across the country for years through that program. - Scianni later became Managing Director of the Pro Player Health Alliance while continuing to participate in screenings. - Scianni stepped back from the screening work during the COVID-19 pandemic. - Scianni said the work is now starting up again. - Scianni said obstructive sleep apnea is a medical, not a dental, diagnosis. - Dentists can identify warning signs such as heavy snoring or a bed partner reporting pauses in breathing at night. - Dentists can refer patients for medical evaluation and sleep testing. - For appropriate patients, dentistry can provide an effective treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea.

Between the lines: - Scianni is using his public reentry to connect a personal story with a clinical message about screening and referral. - The focus on former NFL players reflects an established pathway between dental sleep medicine and athlete health programs. - Scianni's framing draws a clear boundary between diagnosis and treatment, which underscores how dental screening fits into medical care.

What's next: - Scianni is expected to continue participating in sleep apnea education, screening and treatment initiatives involving former NFL players. - The Pro Player Health Alliance effort is resuming after the pandemic pause. - Scianni's public outreach may expand as he builds on his new podcast and increased visibility.

The bottom line: - Scianni is returning to a niche but important part of dental sleep medicine, using both personal experience and athlete screening to push earlier recognition of sleep apnea.