IOPI Medical Q3 2025 Newsletter - Trainer Rental Program is LIVE, Upcoming Events, & Articles on Aspiration.

As the days grow longer and the sun shines brighter, we’re embracing the vibrant energy of the season! Whether you're planning beach getaways, backyard barbecues, or simply soaking up the sunshine, we’re here to make your summer even more enjoyable. In this edition of our newsletter, you’ll find exciting updates about our Trainer Rental Program, events where we’ll be exhibiting, and informative articles designed to educate and entertain. Let’s dive into a season full of warmth, adventure, and connection!

Read on to find out more and see what we’ve been up to, and don’t forget to visit our website. It offers the latest news and research and gives you the opportunity to earn free CEUs with your choice of three courses, interact with our IOPI staff, and Patient Advocacy tools (have you seen the Dysphagia Cost tool?!). You can also use our Get a Quote page if you need pricing information. It’s quick and easy! Visit us at https://iopimedical.com/

If you are interested in learning more about IOPI Cares and our new Trainer Rental Program, visit us at https://iopicares.com/

You can also interact with us on Instagram iopimedical & Facebook IOPI Medical LLC for the latest news and information.

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A Cares Clinician is simply a clinician who has joined our Trainer Rental Program network and is able to offer their patients professional-grade IOPI® technology at home while maintaining clinical oversight. By taking part in a brief onboarding process, clinicians are given an IOPI Cares ID allowing them to easily refer their patients to our Trainer Rental Program, ensuring continuous care and better treatment adherence.
To begin the process of signing up to be a Cares Clinician, visit https://iopicares.com/ and click on “Cares Clinicians”. There you will find the simple steps it takes to join our network of clinicians who are already providing an extension of their care with in-home rehab to their patients.

IOPI Medical will be taking part in the Cleveland Clinic conference, Unified Care: Integrating Voice, Swallowing, and Upper Airway Disorders in September.
This conference focuses on the areas of airway, voice, and swallowing. Areas which are frequently discussed, assessed, and treated in isolation. Professional conferences most often address each separately. The purpose of this innovative conference is to bring them together in an integrated, synthesized form to better understand how to assess and treat patients in a multidisciplinary health care system.
Registration and more information can be found at https://rebrand.ly/UnifiedCare

Many of you may already be familiar with our esteemed Clinical Consultant, Ed Bice, but did you know, you can learn from him from the comfort of your office or home?
IOPI Medical offers ASHA Continuing Education Units with our FREE courses.

Choose from:

The Role of Oral Musculature in Swallowing and the Therapeutic Benefits of the IOPI, reviewing the oral musculature and its essential functions, as well as explore exercise principles and how the IOPI can be integrated into a dysphagia treatment plan.

Building a Therapy Program from the Ground Up, examining current evidence related to the assessment and treatment of dysphagia and providing practical suggestions for a path forward.

IOPI Research Updates, summarizing recent findings related to the IOPI.

Click for more information or to register, All Courses (thinkific.com)

When putting together information for the current issue of the newsletter, I knew I wanted to highlight Dr. John Ashford’s first publication introducing his "Three Pillars of Aspiration Pneumonia." It is a landmark contribution that continues to shape how we understand aspiration pneumonia. I also wanted to include his most recent work on the same topic to show how the conversation has evolved.
That left me with the question of which other articles to feature. I reached out to Dr. Ashford—a longtime colleague and friend— for his thoughts. Within minutes, my phone rang, and we had a great conversation. He shared a thoughtful list of potential articles, and I selected two for this issue. The rest are tucked away for future editions. I hope you find this collection informative and relevant to your clinical practice. Also, thanks to Dr. Ashford for his contributions to our field and his direct influence on the current newsletter. Ed M. Bice, M. Ed., CCC-SLP

Factors Beyond Aspiration

Ashford, J. R. (2005). Pneumonia: Factors Beyond Aspiration. Perspectives on Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders (Dysphagia), 14(1), 10–16.

https://doi.org/10.1044/sasd14.1.10

The paper explores factors beyond laryngeal aspiration that may contribute to the development of pneumonia in select patients. In contemporary clinical practice, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are responsible for evaluating the safety and efficiency of the oropharyngeal swallow mechanism and assisting in assessing the potential of aspiration-related complications, such as pneumonia. A persistent clinical question remains: why do some individuals with dysphagia who aspirate go on to develop pneumonia, while others do not? The paper is the first published document to discuss Dr. Ashford’s “Three Pillars of Aspiration Pneumonia.”

Impaired oral health: a required companion of bacterial aspiration pneumonia

Ashford J. R. (2024). Impaired oral health: a required companion of bacterial aspiration pneumonia. Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences, 5, 1337920.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fresc.2024.1337920

The article emphasizes the critical role of oral health in the development of bacterial aspiration pneumonia (BAP), particularly among the elderly and frail populations. It expounds on the conceptual framework of the "Three Pillars of Bacterial Aspiration Pneumonia," which posits that the simultaneous presence of serious illness, poor oral health, and impaired laryngotracheal function are essential for BAP to occur. The model underscores the importance of the oral cavity as a primary source of pathogenic bacteria, distinguishing BAP from other types of pneumonia that may not involve bacterial aspiration.

The article also highlights the effectiveness of professional oral health care in reducing the incidence of aspiration pneumonia in long-term care settings. It notes that tooth brushing is the most effective method for reducing oral biofilms. The article calls for elevating oral hygiene practices to the status of infection control measures in healthcare settings.

Airway mucus function and dysfunction

Fahy, J. V., & Dickey, B. F. (2010). Airway mucus function and dysfunction. The New England journal of medicine, 363(23), 2233–2247.

https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra0910061

By presenting an in-depth exploration of the critical role mucus plays in respiratory health, the article can assist clinicians in understanding lung function. The authors explain that mucus serves as a primary defense mechanism by trapping inhaled toxins, pathogens, and particulates, which are then cleared from the lungs through mucociliary transport and coughing. The review delves into the normal physiology of mucus production and clearance, highlighting the intricate balance required for effective pulmonary defense. The article also addresses various pathophysiological conditions where mucus function is compromised, leading to diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cystic fibrosis. It discusses the mechanisms underlying mucus hypersecretion and impaired clearance.

Effects of Thickening Agents on the Mucociliary Transport Function: Comparison by the Type of Thickening Agents and the Viscosity of Thickened Water

Matsumura, E., Nohara, K., Fukatsu, H., Tanaka, N., Fujii, N., & Sakai, T. (2025). Effects of Thickening Agents on the Mucociliary Transport Function: Comparison by the Type of Thickening Agents and the Viscosity of Thickened Water. Dysphagia, 40(1), 70–76.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-024-10704-3

The article explores how different thickening agents, and their viscosities affect mucociliary transport—the airway’s natural clearing mechanism. Using saccharin dye tests in 23 healthy adults, researchers found that all thickened liquids, whether starch- or xanthan gum-based, significantly slowed mucociliary transit compared to unthickened water, with higher viscosities causing greater delays. Notably, no differences emerged between the two thickener types. These findings have important clinical implications for speech-language pathologists: while thickened liquids might stop aspiration during imaging, they may also hinder airway clearance.

To help you achieve the greatest level of success for your patients, we continue to provide you with the necessary Purchasing Advocacy tools, as well as clinical support.

Our Purchasing Advocacy tools can be found on our Medical Professionals page. Here you will find our IOPI Dysphagia Cost Tool as well as a ready-to-use Benefits of IOPI for Dysphagia PowerPoint. Just populate it with information specific to your patient’s needs.

You also have clinical support at your fingertips. Our clinical consultant, Ed M. Bice, M.Ed., CCC-SLP, is available to mentor through the advocacy process to assess and report the estimated cost of dysphagia to your facility. You can reach Ed for a patient consultation or clinical question by calling (844) 844-IOPI or emailing ed@iopimedical.com.

To access our IOPI Dysphagia Cost Tool, the Benefits of IOPI for Dysphagia PowerPoint, and tips on advocating for your patients, please visit: https://iopimedical.com/purchasing-advocacy/