The International Association of Orofacial Myology (IAOM) is the leader in Orofacial Myology/Myofunctional Therapy.
The IAOM is a international professional organization that was founded in 1971 and is devoted to providing information, resources, and support for professionals, families, and patients who seek information, guidance, research, and therapy services for Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs) which has also been referred to as “tongue thrust”.
The IAOM Mission is to improve the health of the public by advancing the art and science of Orofacial Myology by means of:
- increasing awareness of and ensuring access to quality primary health care for the treatment for orofacial myofunctional disorders
- maintaining the highest professional standards possible through promotion of educational opportunites and administration of the certificaiton process
- increasing the body of knowledge through scientific research
- representing the professional interests of orofacial myologist
- promoting and encouraging interdisciplinary relationships with allied health professions
As the professional organization dedicated to the advancement of techniques to remediate OMDs, the IAOM includes a membership largely derived from the professions of speech-language pathology and dental hygiene and many dental specialists are active and supporting members of the organization. The IAOM is a related professional organization (RPO) with the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA). The IAOM holds an annual convention where clinical papers, research reports, tutorials, and information from members and allied fields are presented and discussed.
Those members desiriing to provide services with OMDs are required to enroll in IAOM sponsored continuing education courses and to successfully navigate through a rigorous supervised clinical process where they must pass a mandatory written and onsite evaluation that can often take years to complete in order to receive the prestigious Certification of Orofacial Myology/ Myofunctional Therapist designated as C.O.M. The IAOM is the ONLY international professional accrediting organization of this therapeutic specialty. Once Certified, C.O.M.s are required to continue pursuing continuing education which is mandatory in order to maintain their Certification status.
The IAOM also supports a peer-reviewd professional journal, The International Journal of Orofacial Myology that publishes an annual issue. The IAOM encourages members to engage in clinical research.
An IAOM directory of membership includes all professionals who ascribe to the principles of the IAOM and those members who have achieved IAOM Certification in Orofacial Myology/Myofunctional Therapy are identified in the IAOM directory as C.O.M. after their names.
Dr. Honor Franklin of Honor Franklin Myofunctional and Speech Clinic has specialized in treating orofacial myofunctional therapy since 1977 and is the Only IAOM Certified Orofacial Myologist/Myofuncitonal Therapist in Dallas and is considered an Expert in this field.
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