MARY BILLINGS, MS,CCC,COM
BSPS OWNER
Mary Billings, MS,CCC,COM® is a licensed and certified Speech-Language Pathologist through the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA). She received Bachelors degrees in both Speech and Hearing Science and Psychology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and then went on to complete her a Masters degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from the University of Central Missouri. She worked exclusively with adults with communication/swallowing disorders in a variety of settings which included: hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation units, and home health care for approximately 5 years. Mary then began working in private practice and developed a real passion for working with children. Mary opened Billings Speech Pathology Services in 1994 and since that time has been serving the greater Kansas City metropolitan area. Mary has a strong clinical background in articulation disorders, childhood apraxia of speech, as well as early language development, oral myofunctional disorders, and feeding disorders.
In 2007, after years of working with patients with orofacial myofunctional disorders for nearly 25 years, Mary went on to complete the requirements to become a Certified Orofacial Myologist (COM®) through the International Association of Oral Myology (IAOM). An orofacial myologist specializes in the understanding of the orofacial complex, its physiological systems, and impact on other physiological function in the body. Billings Speech Pathology Services is the only existing private practice in the greater Kansas City Metropolitan area who has speech language pathologists Certified through the IAOM (COM®) who specialize in identification and treatment of Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders.
Mary is active in a variety of professional organizations. She is a Past President of the International Association of Orofacial Myology, served as its President-Elect and prior to that time served as its Mentoring Chair from 2008-2013. In her capacity as Mentoring Chair Mary provided advisement and resources to clinicians working with orofacial myofunctional disorders across the world, while supporting them through their own certification program. In 2011, Mary was awarded the prestigious Connie Painter Distinguished Service Award for her mentoring efforts and in 2018 was awarded the organization's highest Presidential Award for excellence and dedicated service while serving as President. She is the recipient of 8 ASHA ACE Awards for excellence in Continuing Education.
In 2017 Mary was designated as "Subject Matter Expert" by the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) n the area of orofacial myofunctional disorders and selected to participate in updating ASHA's Practice Portal for OMD's.
Mary is a member of the Board of Directors for the Oral Motor Institute (OMI), an active member of the American Academy of Private Practice Speech Pathologists and Audiologists (AAPPSPA) as well as the American Academy of Physiological Medicine and Dentistry (AAPMD), and Foundation for Airway Health.
Mary is a nationally and internationally renown Continuing Education Instructor and is currently an approved IAOM Certifcation Track speaker offering an intensive studies 4 days class to prepare clinicians for diagnostic and treatment in the field. She has spoken extensively at conferences, study groups and provides online lecturers as well. The list includes:
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The International Association of Orofacial Myology (IAOM)
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American Academy of Private Practitioners in Speech Pathology & Audiology (AAPPSPA)
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International College of Cranio-Mandibular Orthopedics (ICCMO)
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American Academy of Physiological Medicine and Dentistry (AAPMD)
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The Australian Orofacial Myology Association (AAOM)
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Myofunctional Dental Study Group ( Edmonton, Alberta)
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Talk Tools
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Speech Pathology PD
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Melanie Potock, My Munch Bag
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Missouri American Dental Association (ADA-M0)
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Nebraska Dental Hygiene Association
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Featured Speaker: Kansas City Walk for Apraxia
Mary's passion and expertise in the field has taken her to a variety of university graduate programs to present on the various facets of OMD's to enhance differential diagnostic and clinical skills across the life continuum. Her practice has supported clinical student externships routinely over the years from local and distance universities including: University of Missouri - Columbia; Rockhurst University; University of Central Missouri, NYU and Emerson College in Massachusetts.
With 30+ years of clinical experience, award-winning continuing education, and real passion for a result-oriented therapeutic experience, Mary is a strong advocate for her patients, her employees and their developing clinical skills, her students, and her professional community at large.
