How to find the best qualified acupuncturist?
- Ensure they are a licensed acupuncturist. (LAc)
- A graduate from an accredited school, such as the Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine or similar school. These programs usually grant a Master’s degree upon graduation and have 2500-3000 hours of rigorous training.
- Received their Diplomat in Acupuncture or Oriental Medicine from National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).
There are other standards for those calling themselves “Acupuncturists” in Colorado:
Chiropractors (D.C.s)- need only 100 hours of training, review 25 case histories and no examination to legally perform “acupuncture” in Colorado.
Medical Doctors (M.D.s) and Doctors of Osteopathy (D.O.s) have no minimum training requirements to do “acupuncture” in this state. They call themselves “Medical Acupuncturists.” There is an optional class at UCLA for physicians to learn “acupuncture.” It is only 350 hours.
Ask your Acupuncturist if he or she is NCCAOM certified (Dipl.Ac.) and a Licensed
Acupuncturist (L.Ac) with the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, to insure that you are receiving care from a well-qualified Acupuncturist.
