VHC Health/Arlington, VA- Advanced FEES 2026: Scoring, Analyzing, & Reporting 19-20 September 2026. Full Course Information Below.

COURSE INFORMATION

Presented by:

SA Swallowing Services, PLLC, Nashville, Tennessee

Hosted by:

VHC Health-Virginia Hospital Center, Arlington, Virginia

Intended Audience Only:

Speech-Language Pathologists with earned Master’s degree or above with clinical experience administering FEES.

Open Registation Course Date:

19-20 September 2026

Registration Closes:

9 September 2026

Course Location:

VHC Health-Virginia Hospital Center, Arlington, Virginia 22205

Purpose:

To provide an advanced-level, two-day training course for Speech-Language Pathologists in the scoring, analysis, and interpretation of transnasal endoscopy to assess oropharyngeal dysphagia .

Objectives:

At the completion of this course participants should be able to:

• identify normal and abnormal anatomy/physiology viewed endoscopically during FEES;

• describe the components of a standardized FEES administration protocol;

• explain the underlying biomechanical impairments that cause disordered swallowing;

• formulate treatment strategies and interventions that match the biomechanical impairments observed during FEES videos;

• formulate an exercise regimen for dysphagia that utilizes principles of exercise physiology related to the neuromuscular control of swallowing;

• assess using reliable and valid measurement tools for FEES to independently review and analyze FEES video files; and

• complete accurate and concise summaries of salient findings from independent analysis of FEES video files.

Course Registration:

• Register online at https://www.sasspllc.com/advanced-fees-training-public/p/vhc-health/

• Select Registration: Individual/Sponsor-Paid Credit Card or Sponsor-Paid by Invoice

• Complete the Registration Information. Confirmation will be sent via email within the week.

• Tuition: $595.00 plus $18.08 CC processing fee‍ or $613.08 ‍

Local Contact & Special Needs Coordinator:

Heather Redding, M.S., CCC-SLP (hredding@vhchealth.org)

Course Information Contact and Complaint Resolution:

John R. Ashford, Ph.D., (John.r.ashford6703@gmail.com)

Faculty & Disclosures:

Christina Everett, M.S., CCC-SLP:  Contract associate with SA Swallowing Services.  A medical Speech-Language Pathologist with clinical experience in acute care and nursing home care. She is ASHA certified, and licensed and certified as an instructor in swallowing endoscopy by the State Board of Health in accordance with Tennessee statutes. She joined SASS in 2020 as a clinician, instructor, and researcher.

Disclosures: Financial: Paid course instructor; Non-financial: None

Matthew Ward, Ph.D., CCC-SLP:  As a contract associate and Clinical Education Director with SA Swallowing Services, Matt practiced in hospitals and nursing facilities prior to joining SASS in 2016. His specialty area is medical Speech-Language Pathology with emphasis in swallowing disorders.  He is an active clinical researcher and published, and is licensed and certified as a provider and instructor of swallowing endoscopy by the State Board of Health in Tennessee.

Disclosures: Financial: Paid course instructor; Non-financial: None.

Other Disclosures:

VHC Health-Virginia Hospital Center, Arlington, VA: Financial: Tuition support for SLP employees; Non-financial: Use of conference facilities.

Course Agenda:

Day One: 8:00 to 5:45

• Introduction (30m)

• Anatomy & Physiol Normal Swallow (60m)

• Scoring Lecture & Activites (Group)-Peristalsis (70m)

• Scoring Lecture & Activities (Group)-Airway Protection (35m)

• Peristalsis Scoring Activities (Individual) (60m)

• Airway Protection Scoring Activities (Individual) (65m)

• Biomechanics Lecture & Scoring Activities (115m)

• Activities Review (35m)

• Biomechanics Lecture & Scoring Activities (60m)

Day Two: 8:00 to 4:15

• Activities Review (previous day) (40m)

• The Three Pillars of Pneumonia (60m)

• Principles of Exercise Physiology & Treatment Options (80m)

• Scoring & Analysis Activities: Case Studies using DOSS (60m)

• Scoring & Analysis Activities: Case Studies usingDOSS (195m)

Satisfactory Training Completion Requirements:

 To satisfactorily complete the requirements for the Certificate of Specialized Advanced Training for Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES), the following are required:

• Attend all training lectures during the two-day training.

• Attend and participate in all FEES analysis and interpretation learning exercises.

• Demonstrate working knowledge and proficiency using a 5-point scoring regimen for identifying normal and

  abnormal swallow behaviors on FEES.

• Demonstrate organization and proficiency in reducing scoring data into manageable and meaningful units for

  accurate analysis.

• Submit a mock final report from an in-course FEES study scored and analyzed to demonstrate conciseness of

  reporting findings including consistencies & volumes tested, number of trials, specific impairments and

  consistency of occurrences, anatomical locations, underlying pathophysiology, and severities.

• Submit a post-training course self-evaluation of learned skills and course-obtained knowledge.

Course Cancellation /Switching Policy:

• Cancellation 30 days or more before course date: Full tuition, less credit card processing fee

• Cancellation between 11 and 29 days prior to course: 50% tuition refund, less credit card processing fee.

• Cancellation 10 days or less prior to course: Loss of tuition

• Switching to later course: Requests received 30 days or more prior to course, no switching charges

• Switching to later course: Requests received less than 30 days prior to course are subject to $150.00 reprocessing and scheduling charge.

Continuing Education Credit:

This course is offered for 1.6 ASHA CEUs (Advanced Level).