Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Health Professions
 
Board
Board of Medicine
 
chapter
Regulations Governing the Licensure of Athletic Trainers [18 VAC 85 ‑ 120]
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4/25/25  8:38 am
Commenter: Amanda Nolff

Dry needling (weekend class) is unlicensed acupuncture (4 years of training 3 board exams)
 

Physical therapy has never before had the legal right to insert needles. While incredibly helpful for movement therapies, they are vastly undertrained to preform dry needling (a.k.a. unlicensed acupuncture). Acupuncture is a 2800 hr + training with 800 hours of supervised internship followed by 3 national board exams. Dry needling is a weekend course. Anyone is welcome to apply for and become an acupuncturist. Even chiropractors and medical doctors are required to take 200 hours of training to become medical acupuncturists. Because the name has been deemed "dry needling" it does not change the fact that it is indeed acupuncture without proper training or certification.

CommentID: 233933