Hands-on Orthotics - Charlotte, NC
Date: July 22, 2023
Time: 8 am – 5:00 pm
Location:
Carolinas Rehabilitation - Main
1100 Blythe Blvd
Charlotte, NC 29203
Instructor:
Kailey Bedford, MOT, OTR/L, CHT
Cara Smith, PT, DPT, CHT
Course Description:
Hands-on Orthotics is a lab-intensive, customized course designed to improve orthotic fabrication skills. This course is for beginner to intermediate practitioners/hand therapists. Participants receive a course manual, and orthoses are customized according to the class.
Course Objectives:
- Course participants will demonstrate ability to fabricate several custom orthoses
- Course participants will identify indications/contraindications of the orthoses shown below
- Course participants will demonstrate knowledge of practical applications of orthoses
Orthoses To Be Fabricated:
- Resting hand
- Volar wrist cock up
- Dorsal wrist cock up
- Volar short opponens
- Dorsal short opponens
- Radial nerve palsy splint
Registration Fee:
Members $280
Non-Members $325
Continuing Education Credit:
The course has been approved for 8 contact hours, or 0.8 CEUS, from the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and the Board of Certification of Certified Athletic Trainers (BOC-ATC).
Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Limited enrollment is planned to ensure quality of course and ample instructor-participant attention. Cancellation of registration up to two weeks prior to course date will result in a refund minus a $50 cancellation fee. THERE WILL BE NO REFUNDS AFTER THIS ESTABLISHED DEADLINE. It is the responsibility of the registrant to notify ASHT of cancellation in writing or by email to education@asht.org. Refunds will be issued within 30 days of notification. In the unlikely event that a course is canceled, ASHT will provide full refund of the registration fee only.
All grievances may be directed to the ASHT Education Division by sending an email to education@asht.org.
For further information or questions regarding this course, contact education@asht.org.

Cara graduated from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center with a Master of Physical Therapy in 2007. She completed the Evelyn J. Mackin Hand Therapy Fellowship in 2010 and became a Certified Hand Therapist in 2013. In 2020, she earned a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Arcadia University.
Cara is the Hand Therapy Program Coordinator at Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. The majority of her clinical practice has been in pediatric orthopedics, working alongside orthopedic surgeons in multidisciplinary clinics taking care of children with congenital and acquired conditions, as well as traumatic injuries.
Cara is a member of the ASHT Education Division, and is a co-host of ASHT's popular bi-weekly podcast entitled "Hands In Motion."

Kailey has been a full time practicing occupational therapist since 2013. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in psychology as well as her Master of Occupational Therapy degree from the University of Pittsburgh. She has spent the entirety of her time as an occupational therapist in the outpatient hand and upper extremity setting, becoming a Certified Hand Therapist in 2017.
Kailey has a strong interest in mental and physical wellness, clinical education, student engagement, health equity, and all things related to rehabilitation of the hand and upper extremity. She is currently employed as a Clinical Specialist 1 at OrthoCarolina’s Hand Center in Charlotte, NC where she also is a member of the OrthoCarolina Hand Therapy Fellowship faculty. At OrthoCarolina, Kailey treats a variety of diagnoses from different populations including OrthoCarolina’s brachial plexus, congenital, and amputee specialty clinics.
Kailey is a member of ASHT’s Education Division and serves as a project lead for the Student Offerings Committee.