Nashville, TN - 2025 Advanced FEES: Scoring, Analyzing, & Reporting - September 6-7, 2025

Presented by:

SA Swallowing Services, PLLC, Nashville, Tennessee

Registration Closes:

August 28, 2025

Course Location:

Select Specialty Hospital,2004 Hayes Street, Nashville, TN 37203 . After registering for a course, a Letter of Confirmation and course agenda will be sent to you.

Purpose:

To provide a two-day advanced FEES training for Speech-Language Pathologists with prior knowledge, training, and experience in endoscopic assessment of oropharyngeal swallowing to improve observation, analysis, and interpretation of clinical findings, and to write concise, informational reports.

Objectives: 

At the completion of this course participants should be able to:

• systematically observe & score individual & unique behaviors associated with normal or abnormal oropharyngeal swallowing events as captured using an endoscopic swallow procedure

• analyze the significance of endoscopically-observed behaviors during an abnormal oropharyngeal swallowing event

• determine underlying biomechanical/sensory causes of abnormal oropharyngeal swallowing behaviors, which potentially determine directions for intervention and remediation

• relate observed abnormal swallowing behaviors & their biomechanical/sensory causes to underlying primary medical conditions

• write a concise & clear report incorporating endoscopic observations of normal & abnormal swallowing events, their significance & underlying causes relative to the primary medical diagnoses, & possible intervention approaches

Local Arrangements & Course Information:

John R. Ashford, Ph.D. (Johna@sasspllc.com)

Faculty & Disclosures: 

Matt Ward, M.S., CCC-SLP: A medical Speech-Language Pathologist serving hospitals and nursing facilities as a FEES Endoscopist in middle Tennessee.  He is Education Director for Nashville-based FEES and competency training programs.  He is licensed and certified as a provider and instructor of swallowing endoscopy in Tennessee, and a pre-doctoral student at Middle Tennessee State University.

Disclosures: Financial: Contract Associate with SA Swallowing Services, PLLC, paid course instructor; Non-financial: None

Michelle Skelley, M.Ed., CCC-SLP:  Co-founder and President of SA Swallowing Services, she is a medical Speech-Language Pathologist and FEES Endoscopist serving rehabilitation hospitals and nursing homes across Tennessee and parts of Kentucky and Georgia.  She also is the supervisor/instructor for on-site FEES competency training.  She is licensed and certified as a provider and instructor of swallowing endoscopy in accordance with Tennessee statutes.

Disclosures: Financial: Co-Owner of SA Swallowing Services, PLLC, paid course instructor; Non-financial: None.

Christina Everett, M.S., CCC-SLP: A medical Speech-Language Pathologist serving hospitals and nursing facilities as a FEES Endoscopist in middle Tennessee.  She is licensed and certified as a provider and instructor of swallowing endoscopy in Tennessee.

Disclosures: Financial: Contract Associate with SA Swallowing Services, PLLC, paid course instructor; Non-financial: None

Other Disclosures:

Select Specialty Hospital: Financial: None; Non-financial-use of facility meeting space

Intended Audience Only:

Speech-Language Pathologists with with prior knowledge, training, and experience in endoscopic assessment of oropharyngeal swallowing to improve observation, analysis, and interpretation of clinical findings, and to write concise, informational reports. Master’ degree holders or above who are working in the medical community.  Graduate students in their final year of training and who have completed a university dysphagia course may attend. Registration by non-SLP professionals will not be permitted.

Course Agenda:

Day One: 8:00 to 5:30

• - Introduction (30m)

• - Anatomy & Physiol Normal Swallow (60m)

• - Scoring Lecture & Activites (Group)-Peristalsis (70m)

• - Scoring Lecture & Activities (Group)-Airway Protection (35m)

• - Peristalsis Scoring Activities (Individual) (60m)

  (Lunch (30m))

• Airway Protection Scoring Activities (Individual) (65m)

• Biomechanics Lecture & Scoring Activities (115m)

• Exercise Review (35m)

• Biomechanics Lecture & Scoring Activities (60m)

  Day Two: 8:00 to 3:30

• Exercise Review (previous day) (40m)

• - The Three Pillars of Pneumonia (60)

• Principles of Exercise Physiology & Treatment Options (85m)

• Scoring & Analysis Activities: Case Studies using DOSS (60m)

  (Lunch (30m))

• Identifying & Describing Pharyngeal/Laryngeal Lesions (30m)

• Scoring & Analysis Activities: Case Studies using DOSS (165m)

Hotel Accommodations:

Living accommodations are at the discretion of the participant.

Course Registration and Tuition:

• $500.00.  

• Complete the registration information requested on the Checkout Page.  Be sure to include your ASHA or NSSHLA account number for ASHA CEUs.

• Participants must pay online using a credit card. NO personal checks are accepted. Corporate-sponsored payment from invoice may be paid by check.

Continuing Education Credit:

This course is offered for 1.6 ASHA CEUs (Advanced Level).