Nashville, TN — Basic FEES: Instrumental Dysphagia Assessment - August 9-10, 2025

Presented and Hosted by:

SA Swallowing Services, PLLC

Nashville, Tennessee

Registration Closes:

July 31, 2025

Course Location:

Select Specialty Hospital, 2000 Hayes Street, Nashville, Tennessee 37203.  All courses are held on the first-floor conference facility–Charity Hall.  After registering for a course, a Letter of Confirmation and course agenda will be sent to you.

Purpose:

To provide a two-day training course for Speech-Language Pathologists to use transnasal endoscopy to assess pharyngeal dysphagia using standard FEES assessment, scoring, and analysis protocols and procedures.

Learning Outcomes: 

At the completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Demonstrate safe & effective manual skills using nasoendoscopy to assess the oropharynx, hypopharynx, & larynx before, during, & after each swallow event;

• Describe & demonstrate specific FEES protocols & procedures to capture & assess dynamic & complex swallowing events;

• Identify & explain the anatomy & physiology of swallow peristalsis & airway protection functions during normal & abnormal swallowing events, as viewed endoscopically;

• Identify, describe, & demonstrate standard infection control procedures before & after each FEES procedure;

• Identify & describe any risks or contraindications for administering the FEES procedure; and

• Identify, analyze, & interpret FEES results to recommend & guide appropriate interventions.

Local Arrangements and Course Information:

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

Faculty & Disclosures: 

Matt Ward, Ph.D., 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.

Christina Everett, M.S., CCC-SLP: A medical Speech-Language Pathologist with clinical experience in acute and nursing home care.  As a FEES Endoscopist, she serves the middle Tennessee area. She is licensed and certified as an instructor in swallowing endoscopy in Tennessee. She joined SASS in 2019 as a contract clinician, instructor, and researcher.

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

Travis Camp, M.S., CCC-SLP: Formerly, a traveling medical Speech-Language Pathologist in several states, he is licensed and certified in FEES Endoscopy serving hospitals and nursing care facilities in middle Tennessee and northern Georgia.  He joined SASS in 2018 as a FEES clinician and has moved forward as an instructor and researcher.

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

Sherri Coker, M.S., CCC-SLP: A medical Speech-Language Pathologist serving hospitals and nursing care facilities in west Tennessee as a FEES Endoscopist. Prior to coming to Speech-Language Pathology, she practiced as a registered ER nurse for eight years. She is a contract Associate with SA Swallowing Services and 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.

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.

Jessica Scott, M.S., CCC-SLP: A medical Speech-Language Pathologist with clinical experience serving nursing care facilities, she serves East Tennessee providing FEES services. She joined SASS in 2018 and is licensed and certified as an endoscopy trainer by the State of Tennesee

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

Lindsay Dorris, M.S., CCC-SLP: A medical Speech-Language Pathologist with clinical experience serving nursing care facilities. She serves Middle Tennessee providing FEES services. She joined SASS in 2024 and is licensed and certified as an endoscopy trainer by the State of Tennesee

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

John R. Ashford, Ph.D., CCC-SLP: Co-founder and Educational/Research Director of SA Swallowing Services, he has over 48 years of experience as a Speech-Language Pathologist. He is retired from the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System and as a University Professor. He is licensed and certified as an instructor of swallowing endoscopy in accordance with Tennessee statutes.

Disclosures: Financial: Co-Owner of 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 earned Master’s degree 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 5:00

• Introduction & Purposes of FEES (30m)

• Surface Anatomy (15m)

• Surface Anatomy Exercise (20m)

• Underlying Anatomy &Physiology of Swallowing (45m)

• Nasoendoscopic & FEES Equipment (20m)

• Medical Issues & Nasoendoscopy (30 min)

• Infection Control Requirements & Procedures (40m)

• Endoscope Insertion & Handling (45 min)

• Endoscopy Lab: Hands-on, supervised Nasoendoscopy/FEES Training, and

• FEES Analysis Lab: Identifying & Defining Swallowing Consequences: Introduction to FEES Observations & Computer Analysis Practice Labs (225m)

Day Two: 8:00 to 4:30

• FEES Protocols & Procedures (60m)

• Scoring FEES Using Rating Scales (60m)

• Analyzing Swallow & Airway Protection Behaviors (70m)

• FEES: Behavioral Intervention & EBP (55m)

• FEES Demonstration/Duel Scope Video

• Endoscopy Lab: Hands-on, supervised Nasoendoscopy/FEES Training, and

• FEES Analysis Lab: FEES Observations and Scoring (225m)

Hotel Accommodations:

Living accommodations are at the discretion of the participant.

Course Registration and Tuition:

• $600.00.   Includes lunch and refreshments on both days, hands-on endoscope training, and a 140-page training manual (lecture powerpoints, scoring forms, report examples, other information) to take home.  A maximum of 20 participants will be registered per course. Student and group discounts are not permitted.

• 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.

Satisfactory Training Completion Requirements:

 To satisfactorily complete the requirements for the Certificate of Specialized Training for Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES), the following are required:

• Attend all training lectures during the two-day training.

• Complete an anatomy quiz (passing score is not required).

• Complete in-lecture learning exercises.

• Complete the 15-step FEES Protocol & Procedures Laboratory using nasoendoscopy with 15 normal volunteers, and completing a procedural self-assessment after each. Signed off by instructors providing verified proof of supervised training.

• Attend FEES Analysis and Interpretation Laboratories and complete learning exercises.

• Submit a post-training course self-evaluation of learned skills and course-obtained knowledge.

Course Cancellation Policy:

• 30 days or more before the course date, full course tuition refunded, less credit card fee.

• 11 to 29 days before the course date, 50% course tuition refunded.

• 10 days or less before the course date, 0% course tuition refunded.

• Requests to switch to later courses received less than 30 days before the original course date are subject to a processing fee of $150.00.