Over the years, physiotherapists, manual therapists, speech therapists and dentists have shown an increasing clinical and practical interest in the temporomandibular and craniofacial region.

These professions have also shown a positive development towards an enhanced interdisciplinary cooperation. On this background, CRAFTA® (Cranial Facial Therapy Academy) was founded by Harry von Piekartz and others of various disciplines.

Target Groups

These courses were developed to meet the interests of both physiotherapists and manual therapists, along with other disciplines who treat this specific patient group. These professions include, but are not limited to, general practitioners, dentists, orthodontists and speech therapists.

Video presentation CRAFTA®

The aims of CRAFTA®

• • Structuring of the international education and continuing professional education of the treatment and management of patients with temporomandibular, craniofacial dysfunctions and pain, as much as possible based on the best available evidence.
  • Offering international courses to give health professions (e.g. doctors, dentists, orthodontists, orthopedic specialists, speech therapists) the opportunity to contribute to their knowledge.
  • Quality management and quality assurance of the education and application of craniofacial therapy.
  • Promote interdisciplinary work and cooperation with dentists, orthopedic specialist, ENT specialists, neurosurgeons, and other specialists who work with this specific patient group.    
  • Defining quality standards mainly for physical therapists and manual therapists, but also other interested health professions.
  • To stimulate and supervise research projects in the field of TMJ-/ head- and cervical pain
  • Supervision of current and future research projects that have a focus on physical and manual therapy that are organized and supported by CRAFTA®.
  • Public relations and communication with other professional associations.
  • Currently, the most important goal is the continuing education of physical and manual therapists with the following content:
  • Specialized assessment of patients with head-/neck and face pain
  • Independent analyses of the assessments and the interpretation of these results using known clinical reasoning strategies
  • Developing evidence-based long-term treatment and management plans
  • Specialized communication skills which are relevant in therapy sessions as well as in communication with other disciplines in discussions to find a diagnose and treatment consensus

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