Bill > SB169

This bill establishes comprehensive education and training requirements for healthcare professionals performing dry needling in Georgia, effective January 1, 2026. Specifically, licensed healthcare professionals will need to complete 1,365 hours of coursework and training, including 705 hours of medical theory and diagnosis instruction, 660 hours of clinical training, a clean needle technique course, and must perform at least 500 dry needling treatments on 100 different patients under direct supervision. The bill provides exceptions for licensed acupuncturists, physicians, and physical therapists who have already completed dry needling requirements, as well as students in acupuncture programs performing dry needling under clinical supervision. Additionally, the bill revises the definition of acupuncture to emphasize its basis in traditional Chinese medical principles and modern biomedical approaches, and clarifies that dry needling is a technique within the practice of acupuncture. The bill also updates disciplinary guidelines to ensure compliance with the new training requirements, making it a violation to perform dry needling without meeting the specified educational standards.

Health and Social Services

https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70338