TMJ: Finding the Root Cause of the Problem
Advanced differential diagnosis to uncover the true driver of craniomandibular pain
Live Lab • 12.0 CE Credits • Part of the CSC
Register for This CourseCourse Overview
Do your patients have persistent jaw pain that hasn't responded to treatment? This capstone hands-on course focuses on advanced differential diagnosis of the craniomandibular system — teaching you to identify the true driver of a patient's symptoms, whether local, cervical, systemic, dental, or psychosocial. You'll sharpen the clinical reasoning to prioritize the right problem, recognize red flags, and know when to refer. Over 60% hands-on lab, with 3 hours of pre-course content and 9 hours of lab. Perfect for clinicians ready to solve the cases that don't fit the textbook. Medical professionals, including physical therapists, should expect to achieve enhanced clinical reasoning and diagnostic/management skills for patients with or without referral.
What You'll Learn
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
Describe the potential local, cervical, systemic, dental, and psychosocial contributors to craniomandibular pain.
Differentially diagnose the primary source of a patient's temporomandibular symptoms.
Demonstrate competence in a comprehensive craniomandibular and cervical screening examination.
Apply clinical reasoning to identify red flags and indications for referral.
Integrate examination findings into a prioritized, patient-specific plan of care.
Evaluate treatment response and refine the differential diagnosis accordingly.
Course Schedule
Three hours of pre-course asynchronous content plus a full-day lecture and lab (9 hours).
Pre-course (asynchronous, 3 hours): differential diagnosis, screening, and red-flag lectures
8:00 am — Introduction & review of objectives
8:15 am — Questions from pre-course content
8:45 am — LAB: Comprehensive craniomandibular & cervical screening examination
10:15 am — Break
10:30 am — Lecture/LAB: Local vs. cervical vs. systemic vs. dental vs. psychosocial drivers
12:00 pm — Lunch
1:00 pm — LAB: Prioritizing the differential & building the plan of care
2:30 pm — LAB: Red flags, referral & co-management
3:30 pm — Break
3:45 pm — Complex cases: solving the patients who don't fit
5:00 pm — Integration across the CSC pathway
6:00 pm — Wrap-up & conclusion
CE Credits & Approval
This course is approved by the New Jersey Board of Physical Therapy Examiners for 12.0 continuing education credits. It is pre-approved in the following states as a result of NJBPTE approval: AK, DE, HI, IN, KS, KY, MA, MI, MT, NC, ND, OR, PA, TN, UT, VT, VA, WI, WY, and Washington, DC. This course involves 6.0 hours of evaluative procedures to treat a person without referral. The following states do not require pre-approval of courses and/or have no CE requirements for PTs and PTAs: AL, CO, CT, GA, ID, IA, ME, MO, NE, NH, WA. Not sure if your state is covered? Email us before enrolling.
Registration & Tuition
Tuition: $400 members | $450 early bird | $500 standard
Location: Allentown, PA
To register or ask about the next scheduled date, email abilityhealthwellness@gmail.com
Registration deadline is 5 days prior to the course date.
Meet Your Instructor
Stephen Kareha, DPT, ATC, PhD, FASPT
Dr. Stephen Kareha graduated from Gettysburg College with a Bachelor’s degree in Health and Exercise Sciences with an emphasis in Athletic Training. He received a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Arcadia University and completed postgraduate training at Allied Services in Scranton, PA, with an emphasis on back and neck injuries and vertigo. He earned a PhD in Physical Therapy at Nova Southeastern University and is Board-Certified in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy. He is Director of the Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency and Director of the Spine Physical Therapy Fellowship for St. Luke’s University Health Network (Bethlehem, PA) and an Assistant Professor – Clinical Associate in the Department of Physical Therapy at DeSales University (Center Valley, PA). His research interests include diagnostic classification for the shoulder complex, physical therapists in primary musculoskeletal care, psychologically informed care, and health services research.
Dr. Kareha practices orthopaedic physical therapy at Physical Therapy at St. Luke’s. He teaches evidence-based practice and musculoskeletal content in the entry-level DPT program at DeSales University and teaches evaluation and management courses in the St. Luke’s Orthopaedic Residency and Spine Fellowship. He currently serves as an editorial board member for the International Journal of Academic Medicine and as a reviewer for multiple journals.
Ready to solve your toughest TMJ cases?
Register for This CourseDisclosures: Dr. Kareha reports no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Cancellation: written requests received ten (10) days prior to the seminar receive a refund less a $35 administrative charge; within ten days, no refund is granted but a credit equal to the amount paid may be applied toward a future course.