T3Lecture2 CEDental/Medical Subjects
Beyond the Teeth: How Myofunctional Therapy Supports Dental Health
Thursday, April 89:00am – 11:00am
Myofunctional therapy has been around for 100 years, who knew? This therapy can help patients with oral pain, tongue thrusts, airway, mouth breathing. Referring out to a therapist is beneficial to patients and multi-disciplinary team. You will be amazed. Bring a pad of paper, you will want to take notes!
Learning Objectives
* Identify common signs of orofacial myofunctional disorders.
* Explain how oral habits affect breathing, swallowing, speech, facial and dental development.
* Describe how myofunctional therapy supports oral health and orthodontic stability.
* Discover what the Cranium has to do with dental development
* Determine when referral for myofunctional therapy is appropriate.
Pat Pine, RDH, COM, CST
Patricia Pine, RDH, COM©, CST is an internationally recognized speaker, clinician, and educator with over 30 years of experience in dental hygiene and orofacial myology. She is the founder of Muscles in Harmony, where she integrates myofunctional therapy and craniosacral therapy to support oral function, airway development, and whole-body health.
She is the author of Please Release Me – The Tethered Oral Tissue Puzzle and her children’s book Tilly’s Tongue Discovery at the Zoo, helping raise awareness of tongue function for both professionals and families.
Patricia is known for delivering engaging, evidence-informed presentations that highlight the connection between oral musculature, cranial dynamics, breathing, swallowing, speech, and posture. Her clinical focus includes identifying underlying dysfunctions such as tethered oral tissues and compensatory patterns affecting patients from infancy through adulthood.
She is a strong advocate for interdisciplinary collaboration, working with dentists, physicians, ENTs, chiropractors, and therapists to support comprehensive care. Patricia is passionate about educating professionals worldwide to recognize the impact of oral function on systemic health and to improve patient outcomes through a collaborative, functional approach.