About Us

While starting from different places, our founders, Dr. Alexander Vaughan and Dr. Michael Pagano, used their military experiences to shape our practice. They both sought to relieve the impact of sleep apnea and orofacial pain, and saw the high level of failure in traditional treatments – particularly the reliance on a CPAP machine.

A 2016 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed CPAP did not reduce the prevalence of cardiovascular events in people with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. The main finding in the paper was CPAP has a low usage rate, 3.3 hours per night, which was not sufficient to manage their obstructive sleep apnea.

After going home with their machines, patients found the masks too uncomfortable for sleep. They were frustrated by the noisy compressors, and quickly tired of the cleaning regime. In the experience of our founders, these frustrations were amplified in a military setting. Studies have shown people using an oral appliance after one year have a 83% compliance rate. Objectively Measured vs Self-Reported Compliance During Oral Appliance Therapy for Sleep-Disordered Breathing – CHEST (chestnet.org)

Dr. Vaughan and Dr. Pagano soon crossed paths in Richmond, discovered their shared military experience, and a common desire to help those with sleep apnea. In their experience, most patients can expect to see a vast improvement in their symptoms without the use of a humming, mechanical piece of equipment. After conducting an examination and comprehensive 3D scan, most patients can experience relief from sleep apnea with either a non-invasive laser treatment or through the use of an oral appliance.

Sleep apnea is a disorder in which you constantly stop and start normal breathing during sleep. While there are many types and causes, the most common is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This occurs when the throat muscles relax during sleep and stop the flow of oxygen to the lungs. If you snore or have trouble sleeping, or wake up exhausted after a full night’s rest, you may be one of the more than 25 million Americans who suffer from sleep apnea.

If you suffer from snoring or OSA, we can offer two possible solutions.

The first is a non-invasive and practically pain-free laser treatment. A short session with a medical grade laser can tighten the soft tissues that typically collapse during snoring. Most patients feel nothing more than a slight warming sensation, there is almost no recovery time, and the results can last for up to 15 months. The second solution is the use of an overnight dental appliance. Using a comprehensive 3D scan of your mouth, we can create a custom-fitted and comfortable appliance that corrects the alignment of your jaw and tongue, eliminating the overnight collapse of your throat muscles. There’s nothing to plug in, it fits in the palm of your hand, and cleaning is a snap. Virginia Total Sleep will help you find the correct setting on your dental appliance using the latest home monitoring devices.

Our mission is simple – help you get a better night’s rest.