I am in full support of dry needling for Physical Therapist.  Dry needling has been around for decades and was partly discovered by physiatrist who treated chronic pain using trigger point injections.  They did studies to compare whether it was the mechanical stimulation by the needle into the trigger point or the fluid they injected into the trigger point the led to relief of pain for the patient.  They discovered similar if not better results of just the mechanical stimulation.  Then the practice of  "dry" needling came to be.  

Physical therapist Unlike Accupuncturist have extensive training on the body, anatomy and physiology.  As part of our training we are required to dissect a human cadaver learning the whole system inside and out.  Accupuncturist do not have this extensive knowledge or education of the human body. They spend most of their training with a needle learning chinese medicine not learning how to clinically reason or learning the anatomy of the human body.  It takes a PT's nearly 7 years to become licensed.  Accupuncture education is less then 2 years.  In addition a Physical therapist is required in VA to have either post education or in school course on differential diagnosis and clinical reasoning to be certified to see patients under direct access thus supporting the fact PT's have the skills to clinically reason what modality and treatments are appropriate for the patient.  

Physical therapist are well educated in order to perform dry needling.  What we do is way different then an accupuncturist and we as a profession could work well and compliment accupuncture practices if accupuncturist would take the time to understand and be more educated in exactly what we do!