Chewing and Swallawing

The oropharyngeal region is one of the most anatomically complex areas of the human body. In this on-demand course, Frank H. Willard, Professor of Anatomy at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNE COM), attempts to correlate the anatomy, physiology and development of this area to understand the mechanisms underlying chewing and swallowing and their associated disorders.

An in-depth knowledge of these factors is fundamental in clinical practice when facing problems related to alterations in chewing and swallowing functions and to the role that these have in a series of issues ranging from dentistry to gastroenterology and involving areas such as speech therapy and paediatrics.

The course includes a dissection laboratory to better understand the anatomical components involved.

The course will cover the following topics:

•      Introduction to mastication and swallowing

•      The masticatory musculature

•      The trigeminal nerve

•      The facial nerve, hypoglossal nerve and innervation of the tongue

•      The tongue muscles

•      The vagus and glossopharyngeal nerve

•      The dissection laboratory

•      The anatomy, development and evolution of the pharynx, larynx and oesophagus

•      The swallowing

•      The stages of swallowing

•      The motor control of swallowing

•      The paediatric dysphagia: aetiology, clinical presentation and therapeutic management

Course type

On-demand course consisting of live-streaming lectures taught by Frank H. Willard and recorded.