David Kent, MD

Dr. David Kent is a surgeon-scientist with a clinical and academic career dedicated to the comprehensive management of sleep-disordered breathing, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Dr. Kent was the first provider in Tennessee to offer hypoglossal nerve stimulation (Inspire) therapy as a treatment option for people with OSA.

Dr. Kent's research focuses on the neurophysiology of the upper airway, especially mechanisms for control of breathing in OSA. Dr. Kent has recently been awarded more than $4 million from the NIH to study the physiologic effects of ansa cervicalis stimulation (ACS), a novel neurostimulation therapy for sleep apnea first described at VUMC. He has served on multiple committees within the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery related to the worldwide practice of sleep medicine and surgery.