Yes. Many TMD patients respond to conservative, reversible care that fits comfortably inside a general practice: education, self-care, oral appliances and appropriate adjunct therapies. The key is a structured evaluation and knowing which cases to refer. Scope of practice varies by state and province.
TMD training for general dentists
TMD training that ends in treated patients
Learn to evaluate, diagnose and treat temporomandibular disorders in your own practice, with a team that knows its role and clear rules for when to refer.
The opportunity
Your TMD patients are already in the chair
Temporomandibular disorders cover pain and dysfunction in the jaw joints and the muscles of chewing. Patients describe jaw pain, clicking or locking, limited opening, headaches, ear pain and a tired jaw in the morning. Many of them already visit your practice for hygiene every few months.
Most of these patients never mention their symptoms, because nobody asks and because they assume a dentist cannot help. A general practice is in a strong position to change that. You examine the masticatory system every day, you understand occlusion, you make appliances and you already manage long-term recall.
The Mastery Program gives you the missing structure: what to ask, how to examine, how to decide what is going on, which conservative treatments to start with, how to present the plan, and when a case belongs with a specialist.
Scope of practice varies. What a general dentist may diagnose and treat differs by state and province. The program teaches within established guidance and encourages you to confirm the rules with your licensing body.
The TMD patient pathway
From a question at recall to a stable patient
The sequence the program teaches, and who on your team owns each step.
- Hygienist or assistant
Screen
A few targeted questions at recall and on the health history reveal jaw pain, clicking, headaches and clenching.
- Dentist
Evaluate
A structured history and a focused exam of muscles, joints and range of motion.
- Dentist
Diagnose
Sort findings using recognised diagnostic criteria, and rule out red flags that need another clinician.
- Dentist and team
Treat conservatively
Education, self-care, an oral appliance where indicated, and adjunct therapies such as therapeutic injections.
- Team
Review
Scheduled follow-ups track progress so the plan can be adjusted early.
- Dentist
Maintain or refer
Stable patients move into long-term recall. Complex or non-responding cases go to the right specialist.
What you will learn
The clinical skills, and the system around them
Evaluation
A structured TMD exam
A repeatable history and examination your team can prepare for and you can complete efficiently.
Diagnosis
Confident decisions
How to organise findings, recognise the common presentations and spot what does not fit.
Treatment
Conservative care first
Self-care programs, appliance therapy and adjuncts, sequenced so patients improve and stay improved.
Procedure
Therapeutic Botox
The TMJ protocol for muscle-related pain, taught with patient selection and safety at the centre. Botox training
Business
Presentation and fees
How to explain the plan, set fees and handle the financial conversation with forms that are ready to use.
Judgement
When to refer
Decision points drawn from AAOP guidance, so complex cases reach the right clinician quickly.
By breaking down every aspect from marketing strategies to diagnosis procedures, treatment plans, fee structuring, and post-treatment follow-up, Dr. Dahan has streamlined the entire process.
Dr. Duane DelauneMastery Program graduate
From the blog
All articles Related reading
How to Add TMD Treatment to a General Dental Practice
How general dentists can add TMD care: a DC/TMD-based evaluation, conservative reversible treatment, team delegation, consent, fees, referral and a first-90-days checklist.
Read the article
When to Refer: TMD and Sleep Cases a General Dentist Should Send On
Red flags, complex TMD and sleep cases that belong with a specialist or physician, and how to write a referral that protects the patient and builds your network.
Read the article
Your Next TMD and Sleep Patients Are Already on Your Schedule
Your TMD and sleep apnea patients are already booked for recall. Here is how to train your team to spot them, ask the right questions and build referrals.
Read the articleQuestions
TMD training questions
Short answers to the questions dentists ask most. See the full FAQ for more.
Read the full FAQQCan a general dentist treat TMD?
QWhat does TMD training in the Mastery Program cover?
Screening at recall, structured history and examination, diagnosis and red flags, conservative treatment planning, oral appliance therapy, therapeutic Botox, case presentation, fees, documentation and referral decisions, taught to both you and your team.
QDo I need special equipment to start treating TMD?
Often not much. Most of what TMD care needs is knowledge, a clear process and a trained team. Your discovery call covers what your practice already has.
QWhen should a TMD patient be referred?
When findings fall outside your training or scope, when red flags appear, or when a patient does not respond to conservative care. The program teaches these decision points using AAOP guidance.
Admissions
Bring TMD care into your practice
Each year Dr. Dahan accepts ten general dentists into the Mastery Program. It starts with a conversation about your practice, your team and where you want your career to go.