How to get a myofunctional therapy certification.
To become a “certified” myofunctional therapist means that you need to take a course from someone who offers a “certification.
The reason that there are quotes placed around the word certification is because there is no governing body like a dental board that oversees the certification process and requirements. Much like dental hygiene school where schools have to teach certain topics to have accreditation. That isn’t the case with orofacial myofunctional therapy.
While using the term “certified” may be limited to one organization that has it trademarked, there are many other adjectives now being used in place of “certification”. Terms such as qualified or competent might be seen as well.
What to know about myofunctional therapist training.
You have to start by getting trained in orofacial myofunctional therapy. There are many course offerings. Some are better than others when it comes to implementing what was taught. Take it from someone who’s taken ‘all the courses’ and fine-tuned her own training to include the best of the best from the courses and all that she’s learned from her patients’ triumphs and hurdles over the years!
Do you NEED to be certified?
At the time of this writing, the field of orofacial myofunctional therapy is an unregulated profession. There is no governing board or a license, and there is no true distinction for what an OMT is (if you Google OMT, you will learn about Osteopathic Manipulation Treatment). It is recognized in the scope of practice for registered dental hygienists, speech-language pathologists, and dentists.
Some other specialties practice orofacial myofunctional therapy, such as physical and occupational therapists. Still, you will mostly see it as a specialty service of dental hygienists and speech-language pathologists.
Hard to say exactly what any requirements are. One might think it would be to hold a dental hygiene license, but when my attorney dug into the topic, she found that there aren’t any requirements because there isn’t a governing body for the profession.
What training do you need to become a myofunctional therapist?
Back when I started teaching other dental hygienists how to become orofacial myofunctional therapists, there were just a couple of training organizations (IAOM)(AOMT) and a handful of others; now they are coming out of the woodwork!
The thing is since there is no regulation, anyone can create a course. They will gain a little traction if they can get somebuy-inor get people into it for just a few hundred bucks.
Reportedly, many of these courses are overwhelmingly under-delivering.
In my opinion, a good training option should provide foundational teaching, such as what it is, why it matters, and who can benefit, as well as practical application. There is so much information that having it force-fed over a three or 4-day course leaves someone inadequately prepared to implement the skills.
At this point, anyone can take any training and hang out their shingle, saying they are in business as an orofacial myofunctional therapist…and some of them start teaching it as well.
So, who do you trust to ensure you’re prepared for your journey?
First off, trust your gut! If when reviewing training programs, they seem too easy or too good to be true, it probably is. Read reviews, ask for recommendations, dig in and learn about the program and the person teaching the program.
Once you finish the training, what do they offer? If they’re not in it with you to support you along your journey and ensure your launch into becoming a myofunctional therapist is supported and successful, it’s probably best to turn in a different direction!
Ditch Hygiene Academy is dedicated to improving people’s health, one person at a time. And the first step in that is arming myofunctional therapists to be both educated, supported, and ready to teach!
Ready to dive in and take control of your journey to becoming a myofunctional therapist? Take a look at our courses and reach out to get started!