Functional Swallowing Part 1: What It Means and Why It Matters

This webinar emphasizes the critical need for healthcare professionals to adopt a functional approach to dysphagia management, moving beyond isolated observations like aspiration to focus on broader health outcomes such as nutrition, pulmonary health, and patient safety. It examines the variability in dysphagia training and its impact on clinical decision-making, highlighting the consequences of interventions with limited evidence, such as thickened liquids and NPO recommendations.

The webinar introduces the concept of functional swallowing, which prioritizes outcomes like adequate nutrition and reduced pulmonary risks while aligning with evidence-based practices and ethical principles, including “first, do no harm.” Participants will explore the importance of critical thinking and the limitations of overreliance on intuition or tradition. By incorporating reasoning frameworks and evidence-supported strategies, clinicians will learn to assess and address the root causes of swallowing dysfunctions while improving patient outcomes.

Designed for clinicians who work with dysphagia, this webinar helps participants to make informed, patient-centered decisions that reflect the complexity of dysphagia management in diverse clinical settings. Let this webinar inspire a shift toward interventions that maximize function and minimize harm while supporting the patient’s overall health and safety.