Meeting with a new healthcare provider can cause some anxiety, especially when you don't know what to expect at that appointment. In this post, I will share what things should be covered in your initial appointment, so you can feel more at ease and prepared for your visit. *

The first thing you need to know is this: new patient appointments take time. At Functional Face, we want you to feel confident, heard, and fully supported from the very beginning. That’s why our initial evaluations for older children and adults typically last 90 minutes.

This may feel longer than you expect, but there’s a good reason for it—your first visit is extremely comprehensive. If therapy is going to be successful, we need to make sure nothing is overlooked. We also want to give you plenty of space to ask questions so you feel comfortable moving forward with care.

Step 1: Getting to Know You

We start by getting acquainted—whether it’s with you or your child. Building rapport matters, especially when therapy involves daily habits and routines.

From there, we review your case and health history. Many patients are surprised when we ask about early feeding experiences, but these often lay the foundation for oral and airway development. Our intake forms also include questions about:

• General health and medical history
• Eating and oral habits (past and present)
• Sleep and airway function
• Dental and orthodontic history

This detailed background helps us uncover root causes of your symptoms. Identifying the “why” allows us to design a treatment plan that addresses your unique needs and, when appropriate, recommend referrals to trusted specialists.

Step 2: Hands-On Evaluation

Once we’ve reviewed your history, the functional assessment begins. In some ways, it may feel similar to a dental visit—we’re up close, observing how your face, lips, tongue, and jaw move.

During this stage, we may:

• Take measurements, photographs, and videos of oral structures and functions
• Assess facial posture and symmetry
• Evaluate breathing patterns and oral habits
• Screen for speech difficulties
• Observe chewing and swallowing with both a drink and a snack

At the end of your visit, we’ll share our initial findings and answer your questions. While we often provide early insights during the appointment, we don’t finalize recommendations until after reviewing our notes, photos, and measurements.

If an orofacial myofunctional disorder(s) (OMD/S) is identified, we’ll create a personalized treatment plan. This may be presented at your first visit or scheduled as a follow-up appointment, depending on complexity. In some cases, we may also recommend collaboration with other providers—such as dentists, orthodontists, ENTs, or speech-language pathologists—to ensure you receive the most complete and effective care.

* This post describes the minimum you should expect from an in-office comprehensive orofacial myofunctional assessment. If a therapist has some additional related specialty training they may have more components to the examination. In addition, if an evaluation happens via tele-therapy some adjustments to the evaluation may need to be made.