Dry Needling is Acupuncture(in history and in current time too), so, passing national acupuncture examination is the only way to practicing "dry needing". This is for the safety of public.

How can one profession using 54 hours to do something other profession spending 2000-4000 hours to learn?

Could you say I spend 54 hours and then can practice medicine too?---you have to attend Medical School !

It is same reason--PT is an expert in PT, not in acupuncture(dry needling).