Houston, TX March 26–28, 2026
Waitlist Join waitlist Intermediate · Hybrid · 3 days live
Make The Connection
The flagship course in orofacial myofunctional disorders.
$2,800 · payment plans available 3.6 ASHA CEUs Hybrid · 3 days live
36 hours total
of learning
of learning
At a glance Up to 3 Level: Intermediate Hybrid · 3 days live
Overview
What this course is
Make The Connection is the course that started it all. Since 2012, it has trained thousands of clinicians to recognize, assess, and treat orofacial myofunctional disorders with a function-first, interdisciplinary lens.
You'll complete 15.25 hours of foundational video on your own schedule before you arrive — covering anatomy, physiology, and the research base — so that every minute of the three days together is spent on what you can only learn in a room: hands-on assessment, live demonstration, and supervised practice with real cases.
By the time you leave, you won't just understand OMD theory. You'll have a treatment framework you can open on Monday morning, and a network of licensed peers across disciplines to grow it with.
By the end, you'll be able to:
- Define orofacial myofunctional disorders and their clinical presentations
- Identify oral structures and assess function vs. dysfunction
- Describe the role of the respiratory system in orofacial health
- Evaluate oral frenula restrictions with confidence
- Build treatment plans through real case studies
The curriculum
Day by day
Theory comes home on video. Time together is hands-on.
Before you arrive
Pre-course video (15.25 hrs, self-paced)
- Foundations of orofacial myology and the evidence base
- Anatomy & physiology of the orofacial complex
- The respiratory system and its role in orofacial health
- Screening and intake essentials
Day 1
Assessment & the orofacial exam
- Identifying oral structures and landmarks hands-on
- Function vs. dysfunction: what to look for and document
- Evaluating oral frenula restrictions
- Live demonstration and partner practice
Day 2
Treatment planning & technique
- Building a treatment hierarchy from assessment findings
- Core therapy techniques and progressions
- Interdisciplinary referral and co-treatment
- Supervised lab time with instructor feedback
Day 3
Case studies & application
- Real case studies across ages and presentations
- Troubleshooting the cases you'll actually see
- Documentation, billing, and getting started
- Q&A, next steps, and your 30-day plan
The details
Everything that comes with it
What's included
- 15.25 hours of pre-course video, yours to keep
- Three days of in-person, hands-on instruction
- Up to 3.6 ASHA CEUs, documented and submitted for you
- Printed course workbook and assessment forms
- Lunch and refreshments on all three days
- Access to the FunctionFocus graduate community
Prerequisites
None beyond an active professional license. Make The Connection is designed as your entry point into orofacial myology.
CEU credit
Up to 3.6 ASHA CEUs (36 contact hours): 15.25 hours of pre-course video plus 20.75 hours of in-person instruction. Intermediate level, Professional area.
Who it's for
Licensed SLPs, OTs, PTs, dentists, physicians, and osteopaths who want a complete, clinically usable foundation in OMD.
Upcoming dates
Pick your city
Every cohort, with live seat status. Your Register button carries your choice straight to the form.
Chicago, IL May 21–23, 2026
Waitlist Join waitlist Kansas City, MO July 16–18, 2026
Filling up Register 
Atlanta, GA September 24–26, 2026
Open — seats available Register Kansas City: Union Station–area hotel with on-site labs and a reserved room block. Fly into Kansas City International (MCI).
Your instructors
Taught by
Mary Billings
MS, CCC-SLP
Founder & Lead Instructor
A speech-language pathologist who has shaped orofacial myology education since 2007. Mary chaired the IAOM's first Mentoring Committee, launched Make The Connection in 2012, and has trained thousands of clinicians across the globe with her interdisciplinary, function-first approach.
Patricia Fisher
MA, CCC-SLP
Co-Instructor
Co-instructor and private-practice owner in Ohio, Pat brings decades of clinical depth in proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation and hands-on therapy techniques to every course.
Register
Register for Make The Connection
Tell us who you are and which course you want. We verify your license within one business day — then your pre-course videos unlock.
- No payment due today — we confirm your license first, then send a secure payment link.
- Ask about a payment plan — many attendees split tuition into installments.
- Flexible cancellation — full refund minus $500 fee up to 30 days out.
- Questions? hello@function-focus.com — answered within a day.
Seat request received!
We'll verify your license within 1 business day and email your confirmation with payment details and pre-course video access.