CRAFTA CF1 Orofacial and Temporomandibular Management
Completely redesigned for Fall 2026, the CRAFTA® Level 1 program is built specifically to fit the busy clinician's schedule. This streamlined, hybrid course gives you the practical, evidence-based tools you need to immediately assess and treat complex temporomandibular and orofacial disorders. Powered by CRAFTA, you will unlock a modern biopsychosocial approach to understanding exactly how the TMJ, facial muscles, and trigeminal system interact—so you can walk into your clinic and deliver better patient out
Description
The CRAFTA® Clinical Series: Temporomandibular & Orofacial Dysfunction and Pain
The newly redesigned CRAFTA® Level 1 Clinical Series provides practical, evidence-based tools you can apply immediately in your clinic. Whether your goal is to expand your expertise in TMD management, enhance patient outcomes for head, neck, and facial pain, or strengthen your collaboration with dental and medical colleagues, this series is built for you.
The series now consists of three flexible hybrid courses that can be taken in any order:
- CRAFTA CF1: Orofacial and Temporomandibular Management
- CRAFTA CF2: Craniofacial Pain Syndromes
- CRAFTA CF3: Cranial Neuropathies Management
The Hybrid Learning Experience
Each course combines self-paced online learning with an intensive two-day, in-person training. By building a strong theoretical foundation online, our live sessions are entirely dedicated to helping you:
- Strengthen clinical reasoning for head, neck, and jaw disorders
- Develop advanced assessment and treatment techniques for TMD and orofacial pain
- Practice evidence-informed manual therapy skills in a supervised, highly dynamic environment
- Learn through real clinical case discussions and collaborative problem-solving
A Unique Interdisciplinary Environment
CRAFTA® courses combine scientific knowledge with clinical expertise in a collaborative setting. You will work alongside dentists, chiropractors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists, giving you a comprehensive understanding of how to manage complex craniofacial conditions across multiple disciplines.
Course Focus: CRAFTA CF1 Orofacial and Temporomandibular Management
During the CF1 course, you will discover exactly how the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), facial muscles, and trigeminal system interact to influence pain and function.
Part 1: The Online Component
Approximately four weeks before the live course, you will gain access to the self-paced online module. This includes comprehensive video presentations introducing key theoretical concepts and terminology, ensuring you arrive at the live course ready to dive straight into hands-on application.
Part 2: The Live 2-Day Hands-On Component
The live sessions focus heavily on clinical reasoning, hands-on practice, and case-based integration. Using a modern biopsychosocial approach, you will explore the neurophysiological mechanisms behind intra-articular/myogenous TMD, bruxism, and otomandibular syndromes.
Key Skills Acquired in CF1:
- Advanced clinical reasoning and case integration
- Precise TMJ and masticatory muscle palpation
- Joint mobility testing and assessment
- Evidence-based manual therapy treatment techniques
- Orofacial motor control retraining strategies
Course Discounts
Bundle Discount
Save 15% when you register for all three modules of the CRAFTA® Clinical Series in Temporomandibular & Orofacial Dysfunction and Pain at the same time
Group Discount
15% off for groups of three or more students registering for the same course.
Special Discounts
10% off for new graduates, active military/veterans, residents, and full-time university faculty.
You can only one discount per course
Course Objectives
At the completion of the CRAFTA CF1 course, students will be able to
- Demonstrate evidence-based knowledge and practical skills for assessment of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and orofacial region.
- Perform and interpret key TMJ screening and differentiation tests, including differentiation between arthrogenous and myogenous presentations.
- Differentiate TMJ-related symptoms from craniocervical and other cranial structures, including trigeminal sensitivity mechanisms.
- Identify dominant clinical patterns related to TMD (e.g., arthrogenous, myogenous/bruxism-related, and mixed presentations) and link them to pain mechanisms.
- Apply international classification frameworks for TMD and orofacial pain to structure clinical reasoning and documentation.
- Plan and execute a structured subjective assessment and an appropriate physical examination aligned with hypothesis-driven clinical reasoning.
- Select and apply management strategies for arthrogenous TMD (including manual therapy and load management) and myogenous TMD (bruxism, trigger points, masticatory system).
- Develop patient-centered home exercise and lifestyle ptograms to support self-management and long-term outcomes.
- Use multiple clinical reasoning strategies (minimum of five) to justify assessment choices and management priorities in complex cases.
Course Schedule
Online
Videos
-
Introduction and Functional Anatomy of the Temporomandibular Region | 90 minutes
-
Relationship between Temporomandibular Region and Other Structures in the Cranial Region | 30 minutes
-
Pathobiological Mechanisms — Basic Explaining Model for Clinical Patterns of the Temporomandibular Region | 45 minutes
- Muscular Temporomandibular Dysfunction and Bruxism | 90 minutes
Total time of videos: 4 hours and 15 minutes
Required Reading
- Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, C., & Von Piekartz, H. (2020). Clinical reasoning for the examination and physical therapy treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMD): a narrative literature review. Journal of clinical medicine, 9(11), 3686 | 70 minutes
- Von Piekartz, H., van der Meer, H., & Olivo, S. A. (2023). Craniofacial disorders and headaches. A narrative review. Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, 66, 102815 | 65 minutes
- Von Piekartz, H., & Hall, T. (2013). Orofacial manual therapy improves cervical movement impairment associated with headache and features of temporomandibular dysfunction: a randomized controlled trial. Manual therapy, 18(4), 345-350 | 60 minutes
- Petronis, Z., Pliatkute, I., Janovskiene, A., & Leketas, M. (2023). The relationship between cervical spine abnormalities and temporomandibular joint internal disorders: a systematic review of literature. Annals of Dental Specialty, 11(4-2023), 20-28 | 70 minutes
- Manfredini, D., Colonna, A., Bracci, A., & Lobbezoo, F. (2020). Bruxism: a summary of current knowledge on aetiology, assessment and management. Oral surgery, 13(4), 358-370 | 70 minutes
Total reading time: 5 hours and 35 minutes
Total time of the online course component: 11 hours
Live Course
Actual times may vary with each program at the discretion of the instructors.
Day 1
07:30 - 08:00 Registration
08:00 – 09:00 Introduction + Questions - Videos 1 & 2
09:00 – 10:00 Subjective assessment + planning PE (TMD): History taking, hypothesis formation, planning the physical examination
10:00 – 10:15 Questions & Answers
10:15 – 12:30 Functional analysis TM region – Physical exam (Part 1): Inspection, differentiation tests, active movements, and interpretation
12:30 – 01:30 Lunch
13:30 – 03:00 Functional analysis TM region – Physical exam (Part 2): Passive movements (physiological and accessory), clinical patterns
03.00 - 03.15 Questions & Answers
03.15 - 05.45 Functional analysis TM region – Physical exam (Part 3): Assessment of masticatory muscle and differentiation tests
05:45 - 06:00 Wrap-up and key take-home points
Day 2
08:00 – 09:00 Questions - Videos 3 & 4
09:00 – 10:30 Assessment & treatment of arthrogenous TMD: Examination and treatment principles (arthrogenous)
10:30 – 10:45 Questions & Answers
10:45 – 12:00 Assessment & treatment of myogenous / mixed TMD
12:00 – 01:00 Lunch
01:00 - 02:00 Assessment & management of bruxism: Screening, classification, management strategy
02:00 – 03:00 Assessment & management of otomandibular syndrome: Recognition, clinical approach, differential considerations
03.00 - 03.30 Life-style aspects and TMD: Exercise therapy & compliance
03:30 - 04:00 Wrap-up + Closing - Summary, questions, evaluation
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Required Reading
- Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, C., & Von Piekartz, H. (2020). Clinical reasoning for the examination and physical therapy treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMD): a narrative literature review. Journal of clinical medicine, 9(11), 3686
- Von Piekartz, H., van der Meer, H., & Olivo, S. A. (2023). Craniofacial disorders and headaches. A narrative review. Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, 66, 102815
- Von Piekartz, H., & Hall, T. (2013). Orofacial manual therapy improves cervical movement impairment associated with headache and features of temporomandibular dysfunction: a randomized controlled trial. Manual therapy, 18(4), 345-350
- Petronis, Z., Pliatkute, I., Janovskiene, A., & Leketas, M. (2023). The relationship between cervical spine abnormalities and temporomandibular joint internal disorders: a systematic review of literature. Annals of Dental Specialty, 11(4-2023), 20-28
- Manfredini, D., Colonna, A., Bracci, A., & Lobbezoo, F. (2020). Bruxism: a summary of current knowledge on aetiology, assessment and management. Oral surgery, 13(4), 358-370
Who Should Attend
Physical therapists, occupational therapists, chiropractors, dentists, and speech-language pathologists interested in orofacial pain and function.
Related Courses
Course CEUs
Pending
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