About the “Defenders’ Sleep” Project and Canadian Dental Experience

Zaporizhzhia State Medical and Pharmaceutical University was visited by Canadian dentist and physiological gnathologist Oleksandr Pavlenko — founder of the “Defenders’ Sleep” project and president of Physiological Heals Connection Ltd, Canada–Ukraine.

The foreign guest’s visit to ZSMPhU was no coincidence: earlier this spring, an agreement on cooperation was signed between ZSMPhU, the Canadian Dental Association (Executive Director Scott Newman), and a dental clinic in Edmonton (Dr. Oleksandr Pavlenko). For two decades, they have been working on the issue of sleep disorders among the population.

The war in Ukraine has intensified such disorders in various segments of the population — adults, children, and, of course, soldiers–defenders.

Researchers note that the main causes of sleep disorders are mental health disorders, somatic health, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and abnormal positioning of the lower jaw. The search for practically effective approaches in diagnosing and treating mechanical apnea is an urgent task for modern dentistry, and Canadian specialists are successfully developing such solutions.

During a meeting with ZSMPhU Rector, Professor Yurii Kolesnyk, attended by representatives of the university’s dental departments, scientists, and practitioners, Oleksandr Pavlenko spoke about the charitable medical project “Defenders’ Sleep.” The project’s primary goal is modern diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders and PTSD among Ukrainian military personnel and civilians. He shared his inspiring impressions of visiting the University Clinic, including its state-of-the-art technological equipment and the professionalism of its staff. The discussion also touched upon the possibility of creating a healthy sleep office within the clinic, as well as the specifics of the clinical and laboratory stages involved in producing dental devices for treating sleep disorders.

Professor Yurii Mykhailovych thanked the guest for presenting such interesting developments and expressed hope that cooperation would continue, particularly in the professional development for practicing doctors, joint scientific research in dentistry, and exchange of practical experience in eliminating mechanical apnea.