I am a physician in New York and board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.   I graduated from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine(traditional Chinese Medicine) and Shanghai Medical University(Western Medicine). I was the instructor of Acupuncture for physician program in state university new york downstate medical school. I have been practicing medical acupuncture for over 30 years. 

As I understand from my training, the dry needle technique is to use injection needle to do the trigger point stimulation, reliease the fascia, and other connective tissue abnormilities etc., which could be performed by physicians only.  The acupunucture needling treatment is the acupunture treament. It is difffent from the dry needling techenique. The acupuncture treatment could be performed by acupuncturists and physician acupuncturists only. 

Other healthcare professionals should complete equivalent acupunturist training course (3years), puls pass the acupunture board test before practice acupunture treatment. This is a very important public safety issue for this contury and it should be seriously concerned.  

Xinru Qian MD