Bylaws
ARTICLE I: NAME, MISSION & GOALS
Section 1. Name
The legal name of this organization shall be Academy of Clinical Sleep Disorders Disciplines, LLC. Other names are The Academy and ACSDD.
Section 2. Mission & Goals
The Academy will be recognized as the leader in training and accreditation through the transformation of cutting-edge evidence-based sleep-disorder knowledge and clinical excellence into patient-friendly experiences resulting in enhanced patient treatment, improved quality of life for the patient, and scalable and profitable dental sleep medicine practices.
The Academy believes in a multidisciplinary paradigm through its invitation to all dental sleep medicine providers including dentists, physicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, sleep technologists, nurses, nurse practitioners, and all other relevant health care practitioners who provide treatment for sleep-disordered breathing.
The Academy places top priority on academic rigor by utilizing evidence-based sleep-disorder knowledge to guide treatment of sleep-disordered breathing.
The goals of this organization are the following:
A. To serve the needs of its members by delivering sustained outstanding customer service;
B. To expose its members to the most recent, evidenced-based sleep-disorders knowledge;
C. To engage dental sleep medicine experts for the benefit of its members;
D. To remain totally unbiased, nonpolitical, family-values-based, and inclusive;
E. To assist its members in earning Academy Fellow and Diplomate status.
ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP AND FELLOW / DIPLOMATE STATUS
Section 1. Membership
Active members shall be any health care provider who is interested in learning the identification, treatment, and management of sleep breathing disorders and/or who contributes to the effective treatment of sleep breathing disorders. A yearly membership fee is required. Active members also include those individuals who are gifted membership by the Executive Director.
Membership shall be secured by applying online through the Academy’s online membership service.
Section 2. Fellow & Diplomate Status
Application for Fellow and Diplomate status within the Academy shall be made by completing all requirements as explained in the ACSDD Certification Portfolio for each credential as available on the Academy’s website and including submission of the proper fees.
Applicants are to make one copy for their records; the Academy does not return completed and accepted certification portfolios to its members. If an applicant’s Certification Portfolio is rejected, a $300.00 review fee will be retained and the remainder of the total application fee will be returned to the applicant.
ARTICLE III: GOVERNANCE
Section 1. Executive Director, Founding Staff, Senior Medical Faculty, Senior Dental Faculty, and Dental Advisor
Subsection 1. The Executive Director
The Executive Director is sole owner of the Academy and makes all final decisions on all matters regarding the Academy.
Subsection 2. Senior Medical Faculty
In counsel with Executive Director, the Senior Medical Faculty provides oversight of all sleep medicine activities and issues of the Academy. He or she is gifted membership in the Academy by the Executive Director as long as he or she holds his or her stated position.
Subsection 3. Senior Dental Faculty
In counsel with Executive Director, the Senior Dental Faculty provides oversight of all dental sleep medicine activities and issues of the Academy. He or she is gifted membership in the Academy by the Executive Director as long as he or she holds his or her stated position.
Subsection 4. Dental Advisor
In counsel with Executive Director, the Dental Advisor provides a high level view of the current and future landscapes of dental sleep medicine in order to keep the Academy on the cutting edge in the dental sleep medicine arena. He or she He or she is gifted membership in the Academy by the Executive Director as long as he or she holds his or her stated position.
Subsection 5. Founding Staff
Founding Staff of the Academy are the Director of Operations, the Director of Scholarship and Compliance, and the Media Editor. They are gifted membership in the ACSDD by the Executive Director as long as they hold their stated positions.
Section 2. Advisory Council, Committee Chairs, and Faculty
Subsection 1. Advisory Council
Selected by and in counsel with the Executive Director, Advisory Council members advise the Executive Director on Academy matters and issues and serve at the pleasure of the Executive Director. They are gifted membership in the Academy by the Executive Director as long as they hold their stated positions. Advisory Council members are expected to be positive ambassadors of the ACSDD.
Subsection 2. Committee Chairs
Committee Chairs are selected by the Executive Director and serve at the pleasure of the Executive Director. Committee Chairs include Membership, Conference, and Certification Portfolio Review.Each Chair shall report on his or her activities at least annually and at such other times as directed by the Executive Director.
Committee Chairs shall immediately report any real or perceived conflicts of interest involving themselves, their committee members, or general membership to the Executive Director. Committee Chairs may hold other positions in the Academy. Committee Chairs who resign must wait until a replacement is found. The exiting Chair is required to transition the incoming Chair. Replacement Chairs can be recommended by the exiting Chair, committee members, the Advisory Council, Faculty, or the Executive Director. The Executive Director can create or dissolve committees to ensure the smooth operation of the Academy.
Committee Chairs are expected to be positive ambassadors of the Academy.
Subsection 3. Faculty
Qualified individuals can be recommended to the Executive Director by the ACSDD Advisory Council, Senior Faculty, or Committee Chairs at any time. All faculty members serve at the pleasure of the Executive Director. Faculty members may be gifted membership in the Academy by the Executive Director as long as they hold their stated positions.
To retain such status in the Academy, all faculty members are required to post on the Academy blog at least twice monthly.
Faculty members are expected to be positive ambassadors of the Academy.
ARTICLE IV: COMMITTEES
Section 1. Committees
Committee members must be ACSDD members in good standing. Committees shall function in an advisory capacity to the Executive Director. All committees report directly to Committee Chairs but have full access to the Executive Director all times. Committees are responsible for the development and implementation of programs that meet member needs. Prior to implementation of any program, the program must be approved by the Executive Director.
Committees shall not independently contact or contract with other organizations nor secure or attempt to secure funds or resources from outside sources without the prior review of the Executive Director.
All committee members shall operate under the highest ethical standards and shall avoid all conflicts of interest. When in question, any committee member shall discuss the matter with the Chair and/or the Executive Director. The members of all committees shall hold office until relieved by their successors.
Committee members are expected to be positive ambassadors or the Academy.
Subsection 1. The ACSDD Conference Committee
The ACSDD Conference Committee’s responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
• Developing plans and measurable goals to accomplish its objectives
• Submitting such operational structure, goals, and objectives to the Executive Director
for review and approval annually
• Assisting the Executive Director and Director of Operations with securing world-
class speakers for the National and Regional conferences, with speakers selected on
the basis of their expertise and of their congruency with the mission and objectives of
the Academy
• Marketing the conferences to vendors and defining specific vendors to attend
conferences
• Determining locations for the National and Regional conferences
• Conducting meetings no fewer than four times a year, more at the Committee’s
discretion, and including the Executive Director in all communications
Subsection 2. The ACSDD Membership Committee
The ACSDD Membership Committee’s responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
• Developing plans and measurable goals to accomplish membership objectives
• Submitting such operational structure, goals, and objectives to the Executive Director
for review and approval annually
• Marketing the Academy’s capabilities to various constituencies, as defined by the
Committee, to advance membership enrollment, the capabilities including but not
limited to CE attainment and Fellow or Diplomate status
• Conducting meetings no fewer than four times a year, more at the Committee’s
discretion, and including the Executive Director in all communications
Subsection 3. The ACSDD Certification Application Review Committee
The ACSDD Certification Application Review Committee’s responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
• Reviewing and approving/rejecting submitted case applications of individuals seeking Fellow or Diplomate status
• Communicating, in writing, the acceptance or rejection of an applicant, and, in the
case of rejection, notifying the Executive Director so that a refund can be made to the
applicant
• Conducting meetings no fewer than four times a year, more at the Committee’s
discretion, and including the Executive Director in all communications in order to
keep application criteria commensurate with current research and in order to make
changes to the exam as appropriate
Subsection 4. The ACSDD Bylaws Committee
The Bylaws Committee shall be responsible for reviewing the Bylaws on an annual basis and revising the Bylaws as necessary. Recommended revisions or additions to the Bylaws must be approved by the Executive Director prior to implementation.
ARTICLE IV: CORRECTIVE ACTION MEASURES
Section 1. Expulsion from the Academy
Although this list is not intended to be exhaustive, he following infractions shall result in corrective action up to and including immediate expulsion from the Academy:
• unlawful or unethical behavior
• politicking
• theft of any kind
• discussing concerns or complaints with outside entities without having first sought internal resolution
The Executive Director retains the exclusive right to determine reasons and actions for any corrective measures up to and including expulsion from the Academy.
Section 2. Problem Resolution
Academy constituencies must always act ethically, professionally, respectfully, and treat others as we want to be treated. All/Any problems and/or concerns are welcome for discussion and for resolution. Everyone in the Academy shares an open door policy. Problems should first be directly addressed with the other party. If that is not practical, problems/concerns can be discussed with any Chair, Advisory Council member, or the Executive Director at any time.
