Massachusetts

Chiropractic Information

Massachusetts Chiropractic Summary

The Board of Registration of Chiropractors regulates the practice of chiropractic in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Board works to maintain high standards of practice and to protect the health and welfare of the public by establishing qualification requirements for licensure, reviewing applicant credentials, and administering licensing examinations. The Board also monitors the practice of its licensees to ensure compliance with state laws and the Board’s rules and regulations.

A chiropractor may examine, evaluate, and diagnose patients of all ages for the purpose of determining the presence or absence of illnesses, injuries, conditions or disorders including, but not limited to, the vertebral subluxation complex/segmental and somatic dysfunction.

Licensing Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree Required for Licensure: NO
Renewal Term: Annual
Chiropractic Physician entitlement: YES
Additional training/certification required for medicine and rehab services? N/A

Post-Licensing Education

Continuing Education requirements

12 hours required every year. All hours may be completed online.

requirements for educators

A continuing education course or program shall be approved for continuing education credit if it meets all of the following requirements: (a) The course or program meets the standards established and recognized by the Board; (b) The course or program is sponsored by a CCE-accredited chiropractic school or college; a state, regional or national professional society or association in the field of chiropractic; or an institution of higher learning accredited by the United States Department of Education; (c) The subject matter of the course or program is devoted to matters of clinical proficiency, philosophy and ethics, Massachusetts jurisprudence, or the human and biological sciences; and (d) The sponsoring party ensures that attendance is checked at least twice per session, and provides written certification of attendance, including number of hours attended, to the chiropractor and to the Board upon request. Link: https://www.mass.gov/doc/233-cmr-3-continuing-education-requirements/download

Are PACE courses accepted for continuing education requirements?

YES

Massachusetts requires examinations through the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners

Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Physiotherapy, Acupuncture, Spec

State Chiropractic Online Resources

Regulatory Authority

Board of Registration of Chiropractors:
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/board-of-registration-of-chiropractors

Chiropractic Statutes and Regulations

Rules and Regulations:
https://www.mass.gov/lists/statutes-and-regulations-chiropractors

State Government Resources

State Legislature Homepage

State Legislature Bill Search Tool

Legislative member roster

State Governor's Office

Secretary of State

Office of the Insurance Commissioner

State Associations

Massachusetts Chiropractic Society

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State Chiropractic Coverage

Worker’s Compensation

Medicaid

Practice Options

Perform extremity adjustments? Y
Provide nutritional advice? Y
Provide manipulation under anesthesia? Y
Provide school enrollment exams? Y
Provide sports physical exams? Y
Provide provide return to play exams (including concussion protocol) for sports participation? N/A
Perform US Department of Transportation exams? Y1
Treat animals? N/A
Perform acupuncture? Y2
Perform dry needling? Y3
Perform intraoral TMJ treatments? Y
Perform internal coccyx adjustments? Y
Are there limits to body areas DCs are allowed to examine and/or treat? Y4
Are there limits on diagnostic tools DCs are allowed to use? N/A
Perform venipuncture? Y
Perform casting? Y

Qualifications:

1. A chiropractor can perform a Department of Transportation (DOT) physical exam if they are a certified medical examiner (CME) listed on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) National Registry.

2. Practitioners must have completed at least two years of post-graduate, professional experience prior to the addition of trigger point acupuncture/dry needling. Five hundred didactic hours and 150 clinical hours total shall be required training for the practice of dry needling/trigger point acupuncture.

3. Practitioners must have completed at least two years of post-graduate, professional experience prior to the addition of trigger point acupuncture/dry needling. Five hundred didactic hours and 150 clinical hours total shall be required training for the practice of dry needling/trigger point acupuncture.

4. The practice of chiropractic does not include operative surgery, prescription or use of drugs or medicines, the practice of obstetrics, the treatment of infectious diseases, and internal examinations, whether or not diagnostic instruments are used, except that the X-ray and analytical instruments may be used solely for the purpose of chiropractic examinations. Link: https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?p=y&d=93782

General Statutes & Regulations For All Healthcare Providers