If you’re searching for myofunctional therapy: whether for yourself, your child, or a patient you’re referring: you’ve probably already noticed that the landscape is confusing. Providers use different titles, display different credentials, and market themselves in overlapping ways. So who is actually qualified to provide this care?
The answer matters more than it might seem. Myofunctional therapy addresses orofacial function: breathing, swallowing, tongue posture, and related patterns: and when done correctly, it can meaningfully improve quality of life. When done by someone without proper training or licensure, it can waste your time, your money, and your trust.
This guide breaks down exactly who can provide myofunctional therapy, what legitimate credentials look like, and the warning signs you should know before making a referral or booking an appointment.
Who are the licensed professionals qualified to provide myofunctional therapy?
Myofunctional therapy is not an unregulated wellness service. It falls under the licensed clinical treatment of orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs), which means scope of practice matters: legally and ethically.
The professionals currently qualified to assess and treat orofacial myofunctional disorders are:
- Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)
- Occupational Therapists (OTs)
- Physical Therapists (PTs)
- Dentists
- Registered Dental Hygienists (RDHs)
These are the professions with recognized licensure and established training pathways that allow them to ethically and legally work in this area. Outside of these five groups, providing myofunctional therapy is outside the boundaries of professional practice.
If someone offering myofunctional therapy doesn’t hold one of these underlying licenses, that’s a serious concern: regardless of what other credentials or certifications they display.
Why Licensure Is the Foundation
A license is not just a piece of paper. It represents completing an accredited educational program, passing state or national board exams, and agreeing to uphold professional and ethical standards that are enforced by a licensing board.
Licensure also means accountability. If a licensed professional engages in harm or misconduct, there is a regulatory body that can investigate and act. For unlicensed practitioners, that accountability structure simply doesn’t exist.
This is why asking about underlying licensure: before anything else: is the right first question when evaluating a myofunctional therapy provider.
Certifications That Demonstrate Specialized Competency
Within the group of licensed professionals who can provide myofunctional therapy, there is a spectrum of training and expertise. Having an underlying license qualifies someone to do the work; advanced certification demonstrates that they have pursued specialized, structured training and have proven clinical competency in orofacial myofunctional disorders specifically.
There are three certifications that represent legitimate, rigorous pathways in this field:
1. CMT, Certified Myofunctional Therapist
The CMT is awarded through a multi-level credentialing process that goes well beyond attending a single workshop or course. Candidates must complete structured training, demonstrate clinical skills, and pass examinations. It is a recognized credential within the field.
2. QOM, Qualified Orofacial Myologist
The QOM designation signifies that a practitioner has met defined competency standards in orofacial myology. Like the CMT, it is not granted simply for course attendance: it requires demonstrated knowledge and skill.
3. COM, Certified Orofacial Myologist
The COM is a well-known credential in the myofunctional therapy space, awarded through completion of coursework followed by an examination-based process.
What all three of these legitimate certifications share: they require multi-level exams and demonstrated clinical competency. They are not letters you buy after sitting through a seminar. They reflect actual expertise.
The Problem With ‘OMT’ and Other Non-Standardized Labels
Here is where things get genuinely confusing: and where consumers and referring providers need to be especially careful.
You will frequently encounter the abbreviation ‘OMT’ used to mean ‘orofacial myofunctional therapist.’ This sounds official. It looks like a credential. It is not.
OMT is not a certification. It is not recognized as a formal credential in the field. It is simply a descriptive label that some practitioners have adopted to describe what they do. The problem is that it is easily mistaken for a legitimate certification: especially when displayed alongside other letters after someone’s name.
This matters because some organizations have created training programs and awarded practitioners labels that look like credentials but have no real standing. In some cases, people teach these subjects and market certifications that sound official but aren’t actually recognized within the professional field.
The bottom line: the presence of letters after a name does not mean those letters represent a legitimate, recognized credential. You have to ask.
How to Evaluate Any Myofunctional Therapy Provider
Whether you are a patient looking for care or a clinician making a referral, here are the specific questions to ask before moving forward with any myofunctional therapy provider:
1. What is your underlying professional license?
They should be able to clearly state one of the five qualified professions: SLP, OT, PT, dentist, or registered dental hygienist. They should be able to tell you their licensing body and state of licensure.
2. What training have you completed?
A good provider should be able to describe specific training programs, courses, and clinical hours. ‘I took a workshop’ is very different from completing a structured, multi-level training curriculum.
3. Do you hold a recognized certification?
Ask directly whether they hold a CMT, QOM, or COM. If they reference other credentials or certifications, ask who grants that credential, what the examination requirements are, and whether it is recognized by professional associations in the field.
A qualified provider will welcome these questions. Hesitation, vague answers, or defensiveness are signals worth paying attention to.
The Myo Directory is a curated list of myofunctional therapists who meet real professional standards.
Search by location to find a licensed, credentialed provider you can trust.
A Note on the Evolving Landscape
While myofunctional therapy is 118+ years old it has grown significantly in visibility over the past decade, which is largely a good thing. More awareness means more people getting help for issues like mouth breathing, tongue ties, sleep-disordered breathing, and swallowing dysfunction that might otherwise go unaddressed.
But growth also attracts practitioners with varying levels of preparation. The field has not yet achieved the kind of standardization that prevents unqualified individuals from marketing services to vulnerable populations.
Until that standardization catches up, the responsibility falls on patients, families, and referring clinicians to ask the right questions. Knowing who is qualified: and what legitimate credentials look like: is the clearest protection available right now.
Summary: What to Look For
To recap the key points:
- Myofunctional therapy should only be provided by licensed speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, dentists, or registered dental hygienists.
- Within those professions, the recognized advanced certifications are the CMT, QOM, and COM: all of which require rigorous examination and demonstrated clinical skill.
- ‘OMT’ is not a certification. It is a descriptive label, and it should not be treated as equivalent to the three legitimate credentials above.
- Some organizations grant credentials that look official but are not recognized in the field. When in doubt, ask about the granting organization and its requirements.
- Always ask for underlying licensure first. Everything else builds on that foundation.
If you are searching for a trained or certified myofunctional therapist for yourself or someone you care for, use these standards as your guide. The right provider will have a clear answer for every question on this list.
Ready to Find the Right Provider? Start With The Myo Directory.
The Myo Directory takes the guesswork out of your search. Every therapist listed holds a valid professional license, so you can focus on finding the right fit: not vetting credentials from scratch.
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