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Most families who come in after an orthodontist referral have one thing in common: they searched for "myofunctional therapist near me" and then had no idea how to evaluate what they found.
That's not a criticism. It's just that the field doesn't make it easy. Some SLPs list myo therapy as a service area without specific certification. Some use the term loosely. From the outside, it's difficult to tell the difference.
Here's what the Certified Myofunctional Therapist designation actually means.
The CMT credential: what it requires and what it signals.
A Certified Myofunctional Therapist has completed specialized training, supervised clinical hours specifically in myofunctional therapy, and passed a certification examination. The credential is issued by the International Association of Orofacial Myology. It's verifiable and specific.
In the Atlanta metro, there are very few CMTs. I am one of them. That's not a marketing claim. It's a verifiable fact you can check against the IAOM directory.
What does this mean in practice? A CMT approaches tongue posture, mouth breathing, tongue thrust, swallowing patterns, and lip closure as a coherent clinical picture, not isolated behaviors. Evaluation is diagnostic, not observational. Treatment is structured and evidence-based. The goal is a measurable change in the muscle patterns that affect orthodontic outcomes.
For context: I also hold LSVT LOUD certification, the gold-standard intensive protocol for Parkinson's rehabilitation. That credential requires substantial training and clinical practice to earn. I mention it not to list credentials, but because it reflects the clinical standard I expect of myself across every patient population I treat.
When you book a free intake consult here, you're working directly with a CMT who brings a hospital-level standard of diagnostic precision to private practice.
The intake consult is free. No commitment. If you want to see how we work before deciding anything, the link below is how you start.
Amanda Smith, SLP
Lasting Language Therapy
Sandy Springs, GA
amanda@lastinglanguage.net
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