For Immediate Release: March 3, 2023

Brookfield, Wis. – Embalmers of all skill levels can participate in a hands-on seminar and refine their restoration skills during the 2023 NFDA Embalming & Restorative Art Seminar, May 4 through 5 at the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

The seminar will be led by some of the country’s most respected authorities on embalming and restorative art: 

• Michael Burns, CFSP, dean of faculty and students at the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science
• Chris Farmer, NFDA general counsel
• Nicholas Ricci, instructor at the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science

Using Headzo and Skullzo models, Burns and Ricci will guide attendees through hands-on sessions covering cranial reconstruction, restoration, cosmetic application and hair placement. Other sessions include The Importance of Restorative Art; The Anatomy of Facial Features; and Embalming Risk Management. The presenters will also host an Ask the Experts panel during which they will explore attendees’ most pressing questions. 

Space at the 2023 Embalming & Restorative Art Seminar is limited to 60 participants to ensure each attendee has the most engaging experience possible. Registration closes April 24: 

• NFDA member licensed funeral director: $379 (after April 24: $405)
• Nonmember licensed funeral director: $430 (after April 24: $455)
• Student/Apprentice: $155

Complete details about the 2023 NFDA Embalming & Restorative Art Seminar, including information about how to register, can be found on the NFDA website, www.nfda.org/embalmingseminar. Funeral service professionals may also call NFDA at 800-228-6332 for information and to register.    

There are a number of hotels located near the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science; attendees may visit www.nfda.org/embalmingseminar for recommendations.

The Profession’s Best Embalming and Restorative Art Resources 

NFDA offers a wide range of education and resources to help funeral service professionals practice embalming with a high degree of excellence. 

The 2023 NFDA International Convention & Expo, taking place September 10-13 in Las Vegas, Nevada, will feature a preconvention seminar and several education sessions covering technical skills. Look for full details when registration for the NFDA Convention opens on June 1 (www.nfda.org/convention).  

NFDA offers several online learning and home study courses focused on technical skills. Courses cover a variety of topics and enable funeral professionals to boost their skills wherever and whenever they have Internet access. A full list of online learning and home study courses can be found on the NFDA website, www.nfda.org/olc. 

NFDA’s collection of legal forms, available exclusively to members at www.nfda.org/legalforms, includes a number of forms related to preparation, including embalming authorization forms, embalming affidavits, embalming report forms and more.

NFDA developed two consumer brochures, Embalming: Answers to Your Questions and The Value of Viewing the Body of Your Loved One, to help families understand the embalming process, the value of viewings and visitations as part of end-of-life rituals, and answer common questions. The brochures can be ordered through the NFDA Resource Store, www.nfda.org/store, or by calling 800-228-6332. 

Funeral directors may also want to encourage families they serve to visit NFDA’s consumer-facing website, www.RememberingALife.com, which serves as a guide to honoring a life well-lived, from planning a tribute to mourning a loved one. The site offers guidance on how to start the planning process, the kinds of decisions families will make, and the many options available to make a tribute personal and meaningful. The site highlights information on service options, including embalming and the value of viewing; details about cremation and burial; and prefunding options.

About NFDA

NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association, serving more than 20,000 individual members who represent nearly 11,000 funeral homes in the United States and 49 countries around the world. NFDA is the trusted leader, beacon for ethics and the strongest advocate for the profession. NFDA is the association of choice because it offers funeral professionals comprehensive educational resources, tools to manage successful businesses, guidance to become pillars in their communities and the expertise to foster future generations of funeral professionals. NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.nfda.org. 

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Media Contact: Jessica Koth, 262-814-1536, jkoth@nfda.org