CCTT Certification

The examination is offered to qualified physical therapists at each annual scientific meeting of the American Academy of Orofacial Pain (AAOP).

The PTBCCT is an independent, international 501-C non-profit organization of physical therapists that owns and controls the use of the certification examination and has sole authority over policy and financial decisions related to it.

The examination is graded and statistically analyzed by the professional direction of the Data Recognition Corporation, an independent psychometric testing service for the medical and dental profession.

Requirements to apply for and sit for the Examination

• A minimum of 3 years of clinical experience as a physical therapist with at least two years that include specialization in the evaluation and treatment of patients with cervical, temporomandibular and orofacial (including cervicogenic headache/vertigo) pain/dysfunction.

• 2000 hours of clinical practice over the past 10 years within the specialty areas of the cervical spine, temporomandibular and orofacial (including cervicogenic headache/vertigo) pain/dysfunction

• A minimum of 25% or 500 of the 2000 hours must have been obtained within the last 3 years.

• 100 hours of CE credit pertinent to the specialty are required to be obtained during the past 10 years. Criteria for the 100 CEUs can be found in the CEU Policy, Category 1.

• Two letters of recommendation, one from a medical/dental professional and the other from a PT. One of these letters must be from a member / affiliate member of the AAOP or a CCTT in good standing. The other letter must be from either a medical/dental professional, or from a PT that is known and approved by a member of the application review committee. In addition, the medical/dental and PT professionals must be someone with whom you currently have a professional relationship must be someone with whom you have had a professional relationship for at least the past year (past year pertains to the year you are completing the CCTT application form). Circumstances of the professional relationship must be outlined in the letter. All letters must be on the medical/dental professional and PT stationary.

• A current copy of your PT license in the state or country within which you practice.

• A copy of your practice, hospital or university letterhead, business card, social media listing and / or website (as applicable).

• Proof of membership in your respective national professional organization.

• One recent passport photo ID with your signature and printed name on the back of the passport.

The online Application Form and the $750 Application Fee must be submitted and received before 11:59pm EST Eastern Time March 1^st of the year you are applying to take the exam.

All information on the application form is transmitted securely over the Internet and stored on a secure web server.

Payment is made securely by credit card after both application form is submitted.

Upon acceptance of your application.

• An authorization letter will be emailed to you by the Application Committee of the PTBCCT.
• Onsite testing is done the day before the annual Conference of the American Academy of Orofacial Pain (AAOP). You will be notified of the time and place of the examination. Offsite testing can be available if requested.
• You will be provided an authorization letter. The letter plus a photo ID must be presented at the examination site at the time of the test. No exception to this requirement will be made.

Incomplete Application

• The applicant will receive an email notifying them their application was denied. The applicant can resubmit a revised application. If the applicant does not wish to resubmit a revised application, a refund of $600 of the $750 application fee will be made.

Failure to pass the CCT Exam

• If the applicant fails to pass the CCTT exam, they will be notified by email. The applicant can retake the test within a year from the date that the email was received. The cost to retake the test is $375. Time and place to retake the test to be determined. After one year, if the applicant decides to retake the CCTT exam, an application will need to be submitted and an application fee to be paid.

Click the link below for date and location of the next annual certification examination.
Annual Certification Examination Date and Location 

Click the link below to begin the application process.