Transforming Dentistry
Through
Functional Education

Transforming Dentistry
Through
Functional Education

Transforming Dentistry
Through
Functional Education

Transforming Dentistry
Through
Functional Education

Transforming Dentistry
Through
Functional Education


The Institute for Functional Dentistry (IFD) trains dentists, hygienists, clinicians, specialists, naturopaths, medical doctors, and the entire dental team to practice at the intersection of oral health and systems-based medicine.

The IFD program is a comprehensive, evidence-based curriculum designed to close a critical gap in dental education: the disconnect between what the dental team sees clinically every day and what they were never taught to evaluate, diagnose, or explain.
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Learning Programs

Designed for the entire dental care team, with buildable pathways.
Your team can start all together with Track 1 as the foundation.
Continue forward as your role and goals evolve.

Foundations in Functional Dentistry 

Track 1A
TEAM LEVEL

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Empower Your Role

Elevate the Team

Foundations for the Whole Team
Introduction to Functional Dentistry and the dental oral-systemic model. Built for dental team members establishing a shared foundation in Functional Dentistry. Graduates receive a Foundations in Functional Dentistry Certificate.

WHAT IS INCLUDED  
  • Inflammation, nutrition, and lifestyle drivers 
  • Team communication frameworks
  • Practical foundations for patient conversations
  • Forms and resources for practice implementation 
  • IFD: Module 1A
  • 30 CE  hours
  • Timeline: 6-8 mo.

Foundations in Functional Dentistry 

Track 1B
CLINICIAN LEVEL

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Expand Your Expertise

Transform Patient Outcomes

Foundations for Clinicians
The complete Track 1 education with dental oral-systemic health and whole-body education focused on systemic imbalances. Built for clinicians ready to apply Functional Dentistry in patient care. Graduates receive a Foundations in Functional Dentistry & Oral-Systemic health Certificate. 

WHAT IS INCLUDED  
  • Clinical oral-systemic assessment
  • Functional treatment planning
  • Foundational diagnostic interpretation
  • Clinical Application protocols
  • IFD: Module 1A & 1B
  • 50 CE  hours
  • Timeline: 1 year

Master the Oral Microbiome

Track 2
intermediate Level

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Redefine Prevention
Advance Oral–Systemic Health Healing

Leveling up after foundations, Track 2 is a deep dive into the Oral Microbiome, Dental Oral-Systemic Medicine, and putting Functional Dentistry into your practice. Graduates receive a Oral Microbiome Mastery Certificate.

WHAT IS INCLUDED
  • Foundations in Functional Dentistry (Track 1) curriculum
  • Oral microbiome biology, testing, and interpretation
  • Periodontal disease through a systemic lens
  • Cardiovascular, metabolic, and cognitive connections
  • Microbiome informed treatment planning
  • IFD: Modules 1-2
  • 80 CE  hours
  • Timeline 2 yrs

Advanced Functional Dentistry 

Track 3
ADVANCED LEVEL

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Elevate Clinical Practice

Shape the Future of Dentistry

The comprehensive clinical pathway for whole body clinicians, integrative dentists, and specialists. Builds on everything in Foundations for Clinicians and Track 2. Graduates receive an Advanced Functional Dentistry Certificate.

WHAT IS INCLUDED
  • Foundations in Functional Dentistry (Track 1) curriculum
  • Master the Oral Microbiome (Track 2) curriculum
  • Airway, sleep, and breathing assessment
  • Craniofacial growth and development (pediatrics) 
  • TMD, occlusion, and posture
  • Integrative case management
  • Practice leadership and business management  
  • IFD: Modules 1-6
  • 145 CE  hours
  • Timeline: 2-3 yrs
Learning Format: Virtual, on demand self instruction. prerecorded lectures and module exams.
Live Webinar Case Study and Clinical Integration sessions

Dentistry Is Evolving

Oral health offers early insight into systemic risk and resilience.
Patients are asking better questions.  Physicians are looking to dentists for insight. 

The science linking the mouth to metabolic, immune, neurological, inflammatory, hormonal, and longevity-related diseases is rapidly advancing.

Conventional training rarely prepares clinicians to connect these dots.

The Institute for Functional Dentistry provides the education required to
meet this responsibility with confidence and clinical rigor.

Overwhelmed by Conflicting Information?

Functional dentistry has outpaced formal education. Dentists are left navigating podcasts, social media opinions, and fragmented research without a coherent framework.
We provide structured, science-driven training grounded in real clinical application.

You Know There’s More Going On, But Don’t Know Where to Start

You see recurrent decay, airway dysfunction, inflammation, failed treatments, and frustrated patients. You suspect root causes but lack a clear way to assess or act. We train clinicians to apply functional frameworks, not memorize content.

Struggling to Apply “Functional” Concepts in Real Patients

Most courses stop at theory. Real practice demands clinical reasoning, sequencing, and decision-making. We show how functional dentistry works in real cases, real timelines, and real practices.

No Clear Path Forward

Dentists are piecing together scattered CE with no continuity, no mastery, and no professional identity. This program provides a defined educational pathway, clinical progression, and certification in functional dentistry.

Master Functional Dentistry With a Comprehensive Learning Experience

Explore the features that make our Institute the leading destination for functional
dental education and discover the benefits each one brings to your clinical practice.

A Structured, Cohesive Curriculum

A step-by-step educational pathway that builds from foundational physiology to advanced clinical application across all dental disciplines.

Evidence-Based, Clinically Relevant 

Modules grounded in current research, systems biology and functional medicine principles, with direct relevance to daily patient care.

Deep Clinical Case Integration

Learn how functional concepts translate into diagnostics, treatment planning, patient communication, and long-term outcomes.

Education by Global Leaders

Instruction from leading functional dentists, physicians, and interdisciplinary clinicians actively practicing this work.

Self-Paced, Online Learning

Designed for working clinicians. Learn on your schedule without sacrificing depth, rigor, or clinical integrity.

Certificates and Continuing Education

Earn an IFD certificate upon successful completion of required assessments and examinations,  and explore  eligibility to apply for Functional Medicine Certification.

Our motto is

#Mouth Matters| #Spit for Science| #Bridge the Gap


Join thousands of clinicians transforming the way they understand, diagnose, and address oral-systemic health.

Gain the knowledge, confidence, and tools needed to deliver whole-body dental care through progressive, lesson-based learning.

YOUR PATH TO BECOMING A LEADER IN FUNCTIONAL DENTISTRY STARTS HERE.
“The mouth is not separate from the body. Functional dentistry bridges oral and systemic health by asking ‘why’ and working as a collaborative clinical team to identify the systemic root causes such as airway health, nutrition, digestion and absorption, hormone balance, and the microbiome, so we can create care that is preventive, personalized, and truly whole-body.”
- Meghan Barnett, MS, CNS
“Dentistry involves more than teeth; it includes craniofacial growth, jaw position, and tongue posture. These factors directly influence airway anatomy and function, which in turn affect breathing and sleep. This is why functional dentistry is essential to overall health.”
- Patrick Mckeown, MA, FRSB

“Functional dentistry traces problems back to their actual drivers: airway dysfunction, microbiome dysbiosis, salivary chemistry, hormonal balance, systemic stress. It’s time to foster oral health that doesn’t need constant intervention, and the IFD is a phenomenal resource for those looking to achieve that balance. Functional dentistry redefines dentists as frontline clinicians in chronic disease prevention and healthspan optimization.”
- Ilon Choai, DDS, MS

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Continuing Education Disclosure:

Continuing education (CE) credit for the Institute for Functional Dentistry (IFD) Certification Program is awarded on a module-by-module basis in accordance with AGD PACE guidelines. All IFD courses are self-paced and didactic; no hands-on clinical training is included. Each CE-eligible module consists of required educational components, which may include self-instruction lectures and associated assessments. Completion of all CE-eligible components and the module evaluation is required to earn CE credit. Case studies, integration sessions, and discussion-based learning experiences are included for educational enrichment but are designated as non-CE activities. Participants are encouraged to seek additional hands-on training and clinical mentorship before applying new techniques in patient care settings.

The IFD curriculum is structured as a sequential program. Modules must be completed in order (Module 1 through Module 6). Each module builds upon foundational concepts introduced in prior modules. The learning platform is configured to enforce this order, subsequent modules will remain locked until prior modules are successfully completed. This structure ensures all participants enter each stage of the curriculum with the appropriate preparation.

All IFD courses are didactic and self-paced in format. They do not include live patient interaction, supervised clinical practice, or hands-on procedural training. Completion of this course does not confer clinical competency to perform procedures. Participants are advised to supplement didactic learning with appropriate clinical training, mentorship, or supervised hands-on practice before incorporating new techniques into patient care. It is the professional and ethical responsibility of each licensed practitioner to assess their own clinical readiness prior to applying new skills in a patient care setting.