Acupuncture, by definition: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acupuncture

'Dry Needling' is Acupuncture.

To take one technique and remove it from the body of knowledge it belongs in, and allow a licensed professional to offer it to the public without proper training is not only irresponsible, but also a safety hazard. The study of Chinese Medicine in general, and of Acupuncture in specific, is not something that can be grasped with 54 hours of training, even if a person already has an understanding of the physical body. 

'Dry Needling' is a term coined by Physical Therapists (PT's). It is a technique used to disperse energy which is stuck in a muscle. It is one of many techniques used by Acupuncturists in the U.S. and abroad. Physical Therapists are well educated in their field, but Acupuncture - called 'Dry Needling' or called anything else - is out of their scope. 

I am opposed to PT's performing 'Dry Needling', unless they receive the proper training and pass the National Board Exams, which is impossible to do with only 54 hours of training.