Breathe Well, Sleep Well, Live Well!
About
Dr. Edlir Dume | Dental Sleep Medicine Specialist for Albania, the Balkans & Europe
my story
Dr. Edlir Dume is a Dental Sleep Medicine and TMJ specialist from Tirana, Albania, focused on helping patients with sleep apnea, snoring, airway disorders, jaw pain, bruxism, facial pain, and TMJ/TMD problems. Dr. Dume grew up in Tirana, Albania, where his interest in healthcare and dentistry first began. He completed his dental education at Lady of Good Counsel University — UNIZKM, earning his degree in Dentistry and Dental Prosthodontics.
After dental school, Dr. Dume moved to the United States, where he continued developing his clinical experience in general dentistry, restorative dentistry, surgical dentistry, periodontal care, digital dentistry, patient management, and clinical operations. This period helped build the foundation for his advanced work in airway-focused dentistry, sleep-disordered breathing, and TMJ care.
A defining moment in his career came when he met Dr. Michael Gelb, one of the leading figures in Dental Sleep Medicine, TMJ disorders, and airway-centered dentistry. Dr. Gelb became his mentor and introduced him to a deeper understanding of the connection between sleep, breathing, jaw function, craniofacial health, and overall wellness. Dr. Dume spent nearly 10 years at The Gelb Center in Manhattan, New York, where he progressed from a clinical role to Clinical Director. During his time at The Gelb Center, he worked closely with Dr. Gelb and an interdisciplinary team that included sleep physicians, ENT surgeons, plastic surgeons, and other healthcare professionals. There, he gained extensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, snoring, Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome, TMJ disorders, bruxism, facial pain, jaw pain, jaw clicking and popping, jaw locking, ear pain, ear fullness, ear ringing (Tinitus), morning headaches, and airway-related conditions.
His work included oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea, mandibular advancement devices, Home Sleep Testing integration, patient treatment pathways, appliance titration, clinical protocols, digital workflows, staff training, and advanced case-based education.
This experience shaped his clinical philosophy: dentistry is not only about teeth, but also about breathing, sleep quality, jaw function, facial pain, and long-term health.
Today, Dr. Edlir Dume brings his international experience back to Albania and the European market, offering modern, evidence-based, and non-invasive treatment options for patients suffering from sleep apnea, chronic snoring, poor sleep quality, TMJ pain, jaw tension, bruxism, and airway-related health problems.
His mission is to raise awareness about Dental Sleep Medicine in Albania, Western Balkans and broader Europe and to help patients breathe better, sleep better, reduce pain, and improve their quality of life through a multidisciplinary, patient-centered approach.
He is also the founder of the Balkan Academy of Sleep Medicine, an educational and professional initiative created to raise awareness, improve clinical knowledge, and support multidisciplinary collaboration in the field of sleep medicine, dental sleep medicine, airway health, and TMJ disorders across Albania and the wider Balkan region. Through the Academy, Dr. Dume aims to help build stronger connections between dentists, physicians, ENT specialists, cardiologists, neurologists, pulmonologists, and other healthcare professionals involved in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep-disordered breathing.
His mission is to raise the standard of Dental Sleep Medicine in Albania, the Balkans, and Europe, while helping patients breathe better, sleep better, reduce pain, and improve their quality of life through a multidisciplinary, patient-centered approach.
After dental school, Dr. Dume moved to the United States, where he continued developing his clinical experience in general dentistry, restorative dentistry, surgical dentistry, periodontal care, digital dentistry, patient management, and clinical operations. This period helped build the foundation for his advanced work in airway-focused dentistry, sleep-disordered breathing, and TMJ care.
A defining moment in his career came when he met Dr. Michael Gelb, one of the leading figures in Dental Sleep Medicine, TMJ disorders, and airway-centered dentistry. Dr. Gelb became his mentor and introduced him to a deeper understanding of the connection between sleep, breathing, jaw function, craniofacial health, and overall wellness. Dr. Dume spent nearly 10 years at The Gelb Center in Manhattan, New York, where he progressed from a clinical role to Clinical Director. During his time at The Gelb Center, he worked closely with Dr. Gelb and an interdisciplinary team that included sleep physicians, ENT surgeons, plastic surgeons, and other healthcare professionals. There, he gained extensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, snoring, Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome, TMJ disorders, bruxism, facial pain, jaw pain, jaw clicking and popping, jaw locking, ear pain, ear fullness, ear ringing (Tinitus), morning headaches, and airway-related conditions.
His work included oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea, mandibular advancement devices, Home Sleep Testing integration, patient treatment pathways, appliance titration, clinical protocols, digital workflows, staff training, and advanced case-based education.
This experience shaped his clinical philosophy: dentistry is not only about teeth, but also about breathing, sleep quality, jaw function, facial pain, and long-term health.
Today, Dr. Edlir Dume brings his international experience back to Albania and the European market, offering modern, evidence-based, and non-invasive treatment options for patients suffering from sleep apnea, chronic snoring, poor sleep quality, TMJ pain, jaw tension, bruxism, and airway-related health problems.
His mission is to raise awareness about Dental Sleep Medicine in Albania, Western Balkans and broader Europe and to help patients breathe better, sleep better, reduce pain, and improve their quality of life through a multidisciplinary, patient-centered approach.
He is also the founder of the Balkan Academy of Sleep Medicine, an educational and professional initiative created to raise awareness, improve clinical knowledge, and support multidisciplinary collaboration in the field of sleep medicine, dental sleep medicine, airway health, and TMJ disorders across Albania and the wider Balkan region. Through the Academy, Dr. Dume aims to help build stronger connections between dentists, physicians, ENT specialists, cardiologists, neurologists, pulmonologists, and other healthcare professionals involved in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep-disordered breathing.
His mission is to raise the standard of Dental Sleep Medicine in Albania, the Balkans, and Europe, while helping patients breathe better, sleep better, reduce pain, and improve their quality of life through a multidisciplinary, patient-centered approach.
Professional Journey
Dental Sleep Medicine & TMJ Services in Albania
Dr. Edlir Dume offers concierge Dental Sleep Medicine and TMJ services in Tirana, Albania for patients who want a more personalized, private, and highly coordinated healthcare experience. This concierge care model is designed for patients seeking priority scheduling, direct communication, detailed case review, individualized treatment planning, and close follow-up throughout the entire process — from sleep apnea screening and home sleep testing to oral appliance therapy, TMJ evaluation, appliance titration, and long-term management.
Through this personalized approach, patients receive guided care for obstructive sleep apnea, snoring, poor sleep quality, bruxism, jaw pain, facial pain, morning headaches, TMJ/TMD disorders, airway problems, and sleep-related breathing disorders. The goal of concierge sleep apnea and TMJ care is to make the patient journey more efficient, discreet, and comfortable by coordinating diagnostics, specialist referrals, treatment delivery, and follow-up in a structured, patient-centered way.
American Hospital Albania Collaboration
Dr. Edlir Dume’s clinical activity is associated with the American Hospital in Tirana, Albania, where he supports patients with sleep apnea, snoring, TMJ disorders, airway problems, bruxism, jaw pain, facial pain, and sleep-related breathing disorders in a multidisciplinary healthcare environment. This collaboration enables Dental Sleep Medicine to be integrated into broader medical care, including coordination with specialties such as ENT, cardiology, pulmonology, neurology, internal medicine, and dental medicine as needed. Through his work connected with American Hospital Albania.
Dr. Dume helps bring modern Dental Sleep Medicine in Albania, home sleep testing, oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea, mandibular advancement devices, TMJ treatment, and airway-focused dental protocols into a medically coordinated setting. This approach is especially valuable for patients whose sleep and breathing problems may be linked to cardiovascular health, daytime fatigue, chronic headaches, jaw dysfunction, poor sleep quality, or long-term health risks.
Dr. Edlir Dume offers concierge Dental Sleep Medicine and TMJ services in Tirana, Albania for patients who want a more personalized, private, and highly coordinated healthcare experience. This concierge care model is designed for patients seeking priority scheduling, direct communication, detailed case review, individualized treatment planning, and close follow-up throughout the entire process — from sleep apnea screening and home sleep testing to oral appliance therapy, TMJ evaluation, appliance titration, and long-term management.
Through this personalized approach, patients receive guided care for obstructive sleep apnea, snoring, poor sleep quality, bruxism, jaw pain, facial pain, morning headaches, TMJ/TMD disorders, airway problems, and sleep-related breathing disorders. The goal of concierge sleep apnea and TMJ care is to make the patient journey more efficient, discreet, and comfortable by coordinating diagnostics, specialist referrals, treatment delivery, and follow-up in a structured, patient-centered way.
American Hospital Albania Collaboration
Dr. Edlir Dume’s clinical activity is associated with the American Hospital in Tirana, Albania, where he supports patients with sleep apnea, snoring, TMJ disorders, airway problems, bruxism, jaw pain, facial pain, and sleep-related breathing disorders in a multidisciplinary healthcare environment. This collaboration enables Dental Sleep Medicine to be integrated into broader medical care, including coordination with specialties such as ENT, cardiology, pulmonology, neurology, internal medicine, and dental medicine as needed. Through his work connected with American Hospital Albania.
Dr. Dume helps bring modern Dental Sleep Medicine in Albania, home sleep testing, oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea, mandibular advancement devices, TMJ treatment, and airway-focused dental protocols into a medically coordinated setting. This approach is especially valuable for patients whose sleep and breathing problems may be linked to cardiovascular health, daytime fatigue, chronic headaches, jaw dysfunction, poor sleep quality, or long-term health risks.