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LAWFULLY GRANTED TITLE BY STATE
(partial list)
Titles and
licensure requirements vary from state to state. So do the scopes of
practice. Check with your state government for specific information. Below
are the most common titles.
L.Ac. Licensed Acupuncturist
In some states herbology is included in the scope of practice
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D.Ac. Doctor of Acupuncture
In some states herbology is included in the scope of practice
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D.O.M. Doctor of Oriental Medicine
All methods of Oriental Medicine |
R.Ac. Registered Acupuncturist
In some states herbology is included in the scope of practice |
BOARD CERTIFICATION
The National
Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)
administers a certification exam for practitioners. Candidates must meet
minimum eligibility requirements to allowed to take the exam. After passing
the exam practitioners are considered “national board certified” and
“Diplomates in Acupuncture”. The abbreviation for the title is Dipl. Ac.
The NCCAOM also
administers a Chinese Herbal Medicine certification exam and a another
certification in Oriental Bodywork.
The NCCAOM
acupuncture certification is required by many but not all states as a
condition for licensure or registration. Several states have their own exams
and requirements. There is a hyperlink to the NCCAOM directory of
practitioners and state laws on the links page.
Many pertinent
issues are matters of personal preferences for the practitioner. What is
your opinion of Western Medicine? At what point do you refer? Whom do you
refer to (profession and person)? Do you practice any other healing arts? If
you accept insurance who does the billing?
CHOOSING an ACUPUNCTURIST
Education & Training |
The Wrong Practitioner |
