Who Else Offers Acupuncture? Physicians, Physical Therapists, Chiropractors and Dentists

Not only acupuncturists

Many people first meet acupuncture through their doctor, chiropractor or physical therapist. Whether a profession may offer it depends on the jurisdiction. NCCIH says state laws vary widely in the services they allow complementary health practitioners to offer. [1] This page covers the United States where we could read sources, plus Australia. It does not recommend any profession over another, and it does not list practitioners.

Physicians (MD and DO)

A review of state rules, based on a search of state medical board information in 2016 to 2017, found that most licensed physicians in the U.S. may practice acupuncture within the scope of their medical practices. [2] Many states require extra education and training. [2] Three states (Hawaii, New Mexico and Montana) require physicians to obtain an acupuncture license through the same process as nonphysicians. [2] Rules may have changed since that review, so check your state medical board.

On training: the WHO recommends 200 hours of formal training for physicians who want to add acupuncture, according to that review, and the review found that 13 states and the District of Columbia met that bar in their rules. [2] The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, a physician society, lists membership requirements that include an active license (MD, DO, DPM or DDS) and at least 220 hours of formal training. [3] That is a society's own standard, not a legal requirement. Rhode Island, for example, requires that training be approved by the American Board of Medical Acupuncture. [2]

More on this route: medical acupuncture by physicians.

Dentists

The New York State Education Department says licensed physicians and dentists may be certified to practice acupuncture there, through requirements and an application process different from those for acupuncturists. [4] The physician-regulation review notes that physicians and dentists may also gain experience in specific fields. [2] We did not read other states' dental rules.

Chiropractors

NCCIH says chiropractors in all 50 states and the District of Columbia must be an accredited Doctor of Chiropractic. [1] Whether acupuncture falls within that license depends on the state. The American Chiropractic Association, in a 2019 letter to Medicare, said doctors of chiropractic are licensed or certified in 34 states and the District of Columbia to treat patients using acupuncture procedures. [5] It also said many hold certification from the American Board of Chiropractic Acupuncture. [5] This is a professional association's own statement made to argue for inclusion, and it is dated, so confirm with your state chiropractic board. We did not read state chiropractic laws or any independent comparison of training hours.

Physical therapists and dry needling

Physical therapists in some states use dry needling, a needling technique that the comparison page below explains. The American Physical Therapy Association says the regulatory landscape is uneven, with dry needling in the PT scope of practice in some states and not others. [6] Its state map is member-only, but it states that laws differ from state to state. [7] Whether dry needling and acupuncture are the same thing is a debated question, covered in acupuncture vs dry needling. In England, NICE's chronic pain guideline says to consider a single course of acupuncture or dry needling, delivered by a healthcare professional with appropriate training and within set limits. [8]

Australia: endorsement

The Chinese Medicine Board of Australia says acupuncture can be done by appropriately educated practitioners registered in other professions, once they have the endorsement from their own profession, and that endorsed practitioners may use the protected title acupuncturist. [9] It also says not every profession has set standards for such endorsement. [9]

What to ask any professional who offers acupuncture

1. Does my license allow you to do this here, and how many hours did you train in acupuncture?
2. Who certified or approved that training?
3. How do you handle bleeding risk, pregnancy and my other conditions?

NCCIH suggests learning about a practitioner's training and experience with people who have your conditions. [10] See also acupuncture alongside physical therapy and chiropractic and titles explained.