Are you fascinated by the field of Orofacial Pain and Dysfunction? And would you like to develop your clinical skills and gain deeper knowledge in this area of expertise? Then the International Summer Course on Orofacial Pain and Dysfunction might be exactly what you’re looking for.
During this intensive and hands-on course at the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), world-leading experts provide a comprehensive programme of workshops, demonstrations, lectures and case discussions. Topics such as TMD, bruxism, dental sleep medicine and tooth wear are covered in-depth, offering participants valuable tools and evidence-based insights for clinical practice.
The course will take place from July 1-4 2026, at ACTA, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
About the course
This intensive and hands-on course is designed for dental professionals who want to deepen their understanding of orofacial pain and dysfunction. Guided by world-leading experts, participants explore topics such as TMD, bruxism, dental sleep medicine, and tooth wear through a combination of lectures, workshops, demonstrations and case discussions.
Apart from the certificate of attendance that participants receive upon completion of the course, they will also benefit from their new network of colleagues with common professional interests.
The tuition fee includes coffee/tea, lunch, and a dinner on Thursday night. Travel and housing expenses are not included.
Course organisers and experts
The International Summer Course 2026 is organised by orofacial pain specialists prof. dr. Frank Lobbezoo, dr. Michail Koutris, and dr. Annemarie van der Wal (see below for resumes). Their expertise will be supplemented by the knowledge and skills of fifteen other experts within the field of Orofacial Pain and Dysfunction:
- dr. Corine Visscher and dr. Hedwig van der Meer – orofacial physiotherapists;
- dr. Ghizlane Aarab, Ginger Bousché, Marisol Reyes-Sevilla, dr. Peter Wetselaar, and dr. Merel Verhoeff – orofacial pain specialists, dental sleep medicine specialists;
- Wendy Knibbe – health psychologist;
- Chryssa Papagianni – restorative dentist, orofacial pain specialist;
- dr. Zhengfei Huang – dental sleep medicine specialist;
- Maria Ciascai, Joey Chung, Anna Koevoets, Maryam Raoof, and Natalia Sladeckova – orofacial pain specialist;
- Karl Jacobs – orofacial anatomist.
Classes
Interactive classes will allow for the participants to gain new, evidence-based, insights into fundamental principles within the field of Orofacial Pain and Dysfunction. The classes cover the following topics:
- The basics of orofacial pain
- Orofacial anatomy: refresher
- The basics of TMD and bruxism: overview, assessment, management
- The basics of TMD and bruxism: physiotherapy, psychology, cases
- The basics of sleep and dental sleep medicine
- Obstructive sleep apnea: management, cases
- Neuropathic pain, headache, neck pain, widespread pain, tinnitus, cases
- Tooth wear: assessment, management, cases
Hands-on workshops
Various hands-on workshops will challenge the participants to put their freshly acquired knowledge to practice. Thereby gaining an extensive skill set to effectively diagnose, treat and/or manage temporomandibular disorders, neuropathic pain, bruxism and obstructive sleep apnea. Topics covered by the hands-on workshops include:
- The anamnesis and clinical assessment of TMD and bruxism
- Physiotherapy
- Bite registration – stabilisation splint
- Bite registration – MAD (OSA)
- Qualitative and quantitative sensory testing
- The assessment of tooth wear
- Pain education and pain/sleep workshops
Case discussions
On the final day of the course, the participants will be challenged to take part in several interactive, complex case discussions on orofacial pain, TMD, tooth wear, and dental sleep disorders. A great opportunity to apply all of the acquired insights and to practise for future application in the participants’ own dental practices.
