Education on Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders - Zadar 2026
Edukacija o oromiofunkcionalnim poremećajima

Our Mission

Faced with an increasing number of children and adults with orofacial myofunctional disorders, as well as the need for reliable and scientifically-based information, we decided to organize this education program. Our goal is to bring together professionals from various fields working with this issue and to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration in the diagnosis and therapy of orofacial myofunctional disorders.

We are honored to host Linda D'Onofrio, MS, CCC-SLP, an internationally recognized speech-language therapist with many years of experience in the diagnosis and therapy of orofacial myofunctional disorders. Throughout her career, she has systematically followed and applied the guidelines of the latest scientific research and teaches at universities and professional training programs around the world.

Who is the education for?

Day One is intended for:

  • speech-language therapists

  • otolaryngologists

  • dentists

  • orthodontists

Day Two is intended exclusively for speech-language therapists.

Official language of the education

English

The lectures will be held in English (without translation), while printed materials will be translated into Croatian.

Program

Schedule: both days from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

  • Breaks: 10:30 – 10:45 AM and 2:15 – 2:30 PM

  • Lunch break: 12:00 – 1:00 PM

Participant registration: from 7:30 AM

Please arrive on time to collect materials and ensure a smooth start to the education program.

Day One

Development of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for orofacial myofunctional disorders


Day Two

The impact of oral motor skills on articulation and language, and advanced topics on orofacial myofunctional disorders in speech therapy practice

Registration Fee and Application

Registration fee includes:

  • participation in the lectures

  • printed materials

  • confirmation of participation

  • refreshments during breaks

  • lunch

Registration options:

Otolaryngologists, dentists, and orthodontists can register only for day one of the education.

Speech-language therapists can choose to participate only on day one or both days of the education.

Due to the demanding content of the second day of the training, it is not possible to register for only the second day.

Registration Fee
Early registration (until January 24, 2026):

  • Speech-language therapists – day one: €320; both days: €620

  • Otolaryngologists, dentists, orthodontists – day one: €400

Late registration (from January 25, 2026):

  • Speech-language therapists – day one: €400; both days: €760

  • Otolaryngologists, dentists, orthodontists – day one: €480

Registration Procedure

  1. Fill out the form at the following link:Registration Form

  2. After entering your information, you will receive an automated registration confirmation with a copy of the submitted data.

  3. Within five business days, you will receive an official registration confirmation with payment details.

  4. The registration fee must be paid in full within 5 business days of receiving the payment details.

  5. In case of late payment, the registration will be automatically deleted.

  6. If you know you will be late with payment, please contact us in advance.

  7. After payment is recorded, we will send you an invoice (no need to send payment confirmation).

IMPORTANT: If you do not receive a registration confirmation within 5 business days, please contact us at info@feralic.hr.

Refund Policy

  • Cancellation until February 15, 2026 – 50% refund of paid fees

  • Cancellation after February 15, 2026 – no refund available

  • In case of cancellation by the organizer, a 100% refund of paid fees will be issued

Register Now

Venue

The education will be held at the Multimedia Hall of the University of Zadar, New Campus

Address:

Ulica dr. Franje Tuđmana 24i, 23000 Zadar

How to get there:

  • On foot: ~20-minute walk from the city center

  • By bus: City lines 2 and 5 (Liburnija)

  • By car/taxi: 5-10 minute drive from the center

  • By bike: Public Nextbike bicycles available

👉 Parking is available in the immediate vicinity of the building. There is a parking lot for cars and bicycles at the campus entrance.

About the Speaker

Linda D'Onofrio, MS, CCC-SLP

Linda D'Onofrio is a speech-language therapist with over 30 years of clinical experience working with children, adolescents, and adults with orofacial myofunctional disorders.

Throughout her career, she has systematically followed and applied the guidelines of the latest scientific research and teaches at universities and professional training programs around the world.

She actively participates in implementing the latest scientific findings into clinical practice and is an internationally recognized expert in the field of orofacial myofunctional therapy.

CV (Croatian) CV (English)

Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders

Learn more about orofacial myofunctional disorders from the article by Linda D'Onofrio, MS, CCC-SLP:

Oral Dysfunction as a Cause of Malocclusion

Oral dysfunction as a cause of malocclusion, Orthodontics and Craniofacial Research, Volume 22, Issue S1,
Special Issue: Proceedings of the 2018 COAST Innovators' Workshop on "Personalized and Precision Orthodontic Therapy", May 2019.

Structured Abstract

This narrative review surveys current research demonstrating how oral dysfunction can escalate into malocclusion, acquired craniofacial disorder and contribute to generational dysfunction, disorder and disease.

Introduction

Baseline orthodontic consultations are generally recommended beginning age seven. However, the dysmorphic changes that result in malocclusion are often evident years earlier. Similarly, following orthodontic treatment, patients require permanent retention when the bite is not stable, and without such retention, the malocclusion can return.

Setting and Population

Narrative review article including research on infants, children and adults.

Materials and Methods

This review is a brief survey of the symptomology of orofacial myofunctional disorder and outlines 10 areas of oral function that impact occlusal and facial development: breastfeeding, airway obstruction, soft tissue restriction, mouth breathing, oral resting posture, oral habits, swallowing, chewing, the impact of orofacial myofunctional disorder (OMD) over time and maternal oral dysfunction on the developing foetus.

Conclusion

Malocclusions and their acquired craniofacial dysmorphology are the result of chronic oral dysfunction and OMD. In order to achieve long-term stability of the face, it is critical to understand the underlying pathologies contributing to malocclusion, open bite and hard palate collapse.

Read the full article

About Us

Feralić opened its door in September 2016, growing from extensive work experience in various systems, launching new services, and developing numerous ideas.

Our Mission

Our guiding principle is to provide parents with advice, relevant information, guidelines, and speech therapy support from the first signs of concern. At the same time, we strive to share knowledge and build a network of cooperation with professionals from various fields, with the aim of improving service quality.

Our Services

In addition to traditional speech therapy services, we are particularly focused on the diagnosis and therapy of oral-motor difficulties, feeding difficulties, speech-motor difficulties and orofacial myofunctional difficulties. In our work, we apply and combine various approaches, including TalkTools®, Beckman Oral Motor, ARFID – Melanie Potock, PPF, Tummy Time, and others.

In recent years, we have been intensively training in the field of orofacial myofunctional therapy, and we conduct diagnosis and therapy with children, adolescents, and adults. In our work, we actively build cooperation with colleagues from related fields dealing with the same issues.

Collaboration with the University of Zadar

We are organizing this education in collaboration with the University of Zadar, Speech therapy program and Language Pathology, wishing to strengthen partnerships, support the development of the speech therapy program, and further contribute to the education of future professionals.

Partners

If you would like to contribute to the organization of the education through your engagement, please contact us at info@feralic.hr

Free Lecture for Students

We invite students of speech and language therapy, dentistry, and medicine, as well as academic staff from the University of Zadar interested in this topic, to a free lecture to be held by Linda D'Onofrio, MS, CCC-SLP, an internationally recognized speech-language therapist with many years of experience in the diagnosis and therapy of orofacial myofunctional disorders.

Lecture Title:

Oral Dysfunction as a Cause of Malocclusion and Suboptimal Facial Development: Beyond the Framework of Theory

Speaker: Linda D'Onofrio, MS, CCC-SLP

Date: April 23, 2026

Location: Multimedia Hall, New Campus of the University of Zadar, Ulica dr. Franje Tuđmana 24i

Admission: Free with registration

About the Speaker

Linda D'Onofrio, MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language therapist with over 30 years of clinical experience working with children, adolescents, and adults with orofacial myofunctional disorders. She teaches at universities and professional training programs around the world and actively participates in implementing the latest scientific findings into clinical practice.

Registration

Due to limited seating, registration is required to participate in the lecture. Interested parties should contact us via email:

Register for the Lecture

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I get to Zadar?

You can reach Zadar by car via the A1 highway (about 3 hours drive from Zagreb), by bus with regular lines from major cities, or by plane via Zadar Airport, located 10 km from the city center.

The city center and the University of Zadar are easily accessible by public transport or taxi.

What's the easiest way to get around Zadar?

Zadar is a compact city and most attractions, including the old town and the University of Zadar, are easily accessible on foot. For more distant areas, you can use city buses (Liburnija Zadar), taxi services, or rent-a-car/bicycle. A popular option is also the Nextbike public bicycle system, which allows easy movement between different parts of the city.

How to get to the new campus of the University of Zadar?

The new campus of the University of Zadar is located at Ulica dr. Franje Tuđmana 24i.

You can reach the campus:

  • On foot – if you are staying in the city center, it takes about 20 minutes to walk to the campus

  • By bus – city lines from Liburnija regularly go to the campus (lines 2 and 5)

  • By car/taxi – the drive from the city center takes about 5-10 minutes, depending on traffic

  • By bike – the city has marked bicycle paths, and public bicycles (Nextbike) are also available

👉 There is a parking lot for cars and bicycles at the campus entrance.

What does the registration fee include?

The registration fee includes participation in the lectures, printed materials, confirmation of participation, refreshments during breaks, and lunch.

What is the official language of the education?

The lectures will be held in English (without translation), while printed materials will be translated into Croatian.

Refund Policy?

  • Cancellation until February 15, 2026 – 50% refund of paid fees

  • Cancellation after February 15, 2026 – no refund available

  • In case of cancellation by the organizer – a 100% refund of paid fees will be issued

Will the education be accredited with continuing education credits?

Information about accreditation will be added later.

Contact

For all questions and inquiries, please contact us via email at info@feralic.hr

Speech Therapy Center - Feralić

Email:
info@feralic.hr

To register for the education, use the registration form.
For all other questions, contact us via email.

Registration Form
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