Please note that audiologists in the Commmmonwealth of Massachusetts , are exempt from the Hearing Instrument Specialist ( or Hearing Dealers) regulations. Audiologists have in most states been exempt from the Hearing Dealers licesing laws.

Audiolgoists are trained to an exceptionally high degree of academic and clinical training that far exceeds that of Hearing Aid Dealers. A minimum of 6 or 8 years academic training is required as well as 2000 hours of supervised clinical experience needed to obtain a degree as an audiologist.

I am in oppposition to this bill that Audiolgoists and Doctors of Audiology be required to obtain a duplicate degree in order to dispense hearing devices.

Sincerely,

Deborah Dempesy AuD, FAAA , CCC-A Doctor of Audiology Lic #56 (audiology Lic)

Plymouth Massachusetts , Board Member of the Mass Academy of Audiology