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American Dry Needling Association™ Diploma Series

A New Standard in Modern, Evidence-Based Dry Needling

A comprehensive dry needling education for rehab professionals who want clear safety frameworks, precise dosing, and full-body clinical application—without the rushed timelines, fragmented teaching, or technique-first shortcuts. Torrentia has also partnered with BCMS (Business and Clinical Management Services) to provide OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Training CEUs with every A-DNA-1 and A-DNA Diploma Purchase, ensuring maximum compliance with dry needling requirements.

  • Evidence-Based Protocols

  • Hands-On Intensives

  • 81 Hybrid CEU Hours

Program Overview

An Integrated Framework for Modern Dry Needling Practice

The American Dry Needling Association™ Diploma Series was developed to address the gaps clinicians consistently experience in dry needling education—unclear safety standards, rushed instruction, and techniques taught without clinical context. This program emphasizes physiology, dosing, and decision-making throughout the body so that dry needling can be applied confidently and responsibly in modern rehabilitation settings.

Built on Physiology, Not Technique Memorization

Dry needling is taught through underlying mechanisms, tissue response, and clinical reasoning—so decisions are driven by patient presentation, not rote protocols.

Full-Body Scope With Clear Safety Frameworks

From extremity conditions to spine, craniofacial, pelvic, and peri-neural applications, the program emphasizes regional precautions, contraindications, and risk management throughout.

Designed for Real-World Clinical Application

Instruction is paced for learning and retention, with comprehensive manuals, repeatable frameworks, and hands-on validation—so concepts translate directly into patient care.

Transformational Outcomes

Meaningful Clinical Impact at Every Level of Care

The American Dry Needling Association™ Diploma is designed to change how dry needling is understood, applied, and integrated into patient care—resulting in clearer clinical decisions, safer application, and more consistent outcomes.

For Your Patients

• More precise dry needling based on tissue type, neural involvement, and stage of healing

• Improved tolerance in sensitive, chronic, or complex pain presentations

• Better outcomes in extremity pain, spinal conditions, headaches, TMD, pelvic pain, and neurogenic symptoms

• Dry needling applied within a broader plan of care rather than as an isolated intervention

For Your Clinic

• Consistent dry needling application across providers using shared safety and dosing standards

• Reduced variability in treatment decisions through structured clinical reasoning

• Clear precautions and decision rules for higher-risk regions such as the spine, craniofacial region, pelvis, and neural structures

• Improved integration of dry needling alongside manual therapy, exercise, and regenerative medicine services

For You as a Clinician

• Greater confidence selecting targets, techniques, and dosing parameters

• Clear understanding of when to use manual versus electric dry needling

• Expanded capability to treat complex and multi-factorial presentations

• A repeatable, reasoned approach to dry needling that supports long-term clinical growth

Program Structure

How the Diploma Is Structured

The diploma is completed through three integrated courses that progress from foundational principles to advanced clinical application. Each course expands anatomical scope, clinical complexity, and decision-making while reinforcing safety, dosing, and evidence-based practice.

A-DNA-1

Comprehensive Dry Needling Technique and Appendicular Related Conditions

Introduces modern, western-based dry needling with an emphasis on safety, clean needle technique, dosing principles, and manual and electric dry needling for upper and lower extremity conditions.

A-DNA-2

Axial Skeleton and Pain Related Conditions

Expands application into the spine, headaches, temporomandibular dysfunction, and pelvic regions, with a focus on regional precautions, mechanism-based dosing, and treatment of more complex presentations.

A-DNA-3

Advanced Specialty Topics

Covers advanced applications including peri-neural needling, neurogenic pain, hypersensitivity, pelvic conditions, and performance recovery using advanced clinical reasoning and electric dry needling strategies.

Dry Needling Alliance™: Part 1

Foundational dry needling training focused on safety, dosing, and extremity-based applications using manual and electric techniques.

Dry Needling Alliance™: Part 2

Advanced training covering spine, headache, TMD, craniocervical, and pelvic applications with structured precautions and clinical reasoning.

REGEN-DN Advanced Dry Needling

Advanced training for peri-neural, neurogenic, pelvic, hypersensitivity, and performance-based applications.

Clinician Feedback

From Hesitant with Needles to Confident, Protocol-Driven Care

Clinicians completing the Dry Needling Alliance™ Certification report clearer decision-making, safer application, and more consistent outcomes across complex cases.

“The shoulder and elbow protocols changed the way I treat upper extremity pain. Clear, safe, and immediately useful.”

— Kendra M., DPT

“Ray’s dosing explanations and electric dry needling frameworks finally made the science make sense.”

— Jason R., DC

“The hands-on time was unmatched. I left ready to needle—and my patients felt the difference within days.”

— Maria T., ATC

Curriculum Overview

A Structured, Full-Body Dry Needling Curriculum

The diploma includes extensive didactic instruction and hands-on lab training across extremity, axial, craniofacial, pelvic, and peri-neural applications. The modules below reflect the core clinical content taught across the three-course progression.

module

1

Dry Needling Safety & Contraindications

Clean needle technique, infection control, adverse event prevention, and foundational safety considerations for clinical practice.

module

2

Fundamentals of Needle Handling & Technique

Insertion angles, palpation strategies, patient positioning, and tissue targeting for safe and effective needling.

module

3

Manual & Electric Dry Needling Dosing

Evidence-based parameters for frequency, intensity, duration, and progression, including dwell versus dose concepts.

module

4

Physiologic Mechanisms of Dry Needling

Biochemical, biomechanical, neurophysiologic, and endocrine mechanisms relevant to pain modulation and tissue repair.

module

5

Upper & Lower Extremity Applications

Dry needling applications for common musculoskeletal and degenerative conditions affecting the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, ankle, and foot.

module

6

Advanced Regional Safety & Precautions

Structured precautions and decision rules for cervical, thoracic, lumbar, craniofacial, and pelvic regions.

module

7

Spine Dry Needling (Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar)

Protocol-driven approaches for axial pain, radicular symptoms, and myofascial dysfunction.

module

8

Pelvic & Sacroiliac Joint Applications

Dry needling considerations for pelvic pain, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, and related lumbopelvic conditions.

module

9

Headache & Dizziness Mechanisms

Migraine, tension-type, cervicogenic headache, and cervicogenic dizziness frameworks.

module

10

Temporomandibular Dysfunction (TMD)

Craniomandibular anatomy, dosing strategies, and electric dry needling integration.

module

11

Peri-Neural & Neurogenic Pain Strategies

Dry needling approaches for radiculopathy, polyneuropathy, facial nerve involvement, and neural sensitization.

module

12

Electric Dry Needling for Neural Modulation

Advanced dosing strategies using electric dry needling to support neural modulation and functional recovery.

module

13

Hypersensitivity & Complex Pain Presentations

Clinical strategies for patients with heightened sensitivity or poor tolerance to traditional dry needling approaches.

module

14

Women’s Health & Pelvic Applications

Dry needling considerations for incontinence, dysmenorrhea, and advanced pelvic presentations using safe reasoning frameworks.

module

15

Performance & Recovery Applications

Dry needling strategies for DOMS, workload management, and performance recovery in high-demand environments.

Program Instructors

Learn From Leaders in Dry Needling & Regenerative Rehab

Instruction is led by practicing clinicians with extensive experience in dry needling, neuroscience, orthopedics, and advanced rehabilitation. Faculty emphasize safety, clinical reasoning, and real-world application grounded in evidence and daily practice.

Dr. Ben England

DPT, FAAOMPT, CSCS

A national leader in regenerative rehab and advanced manual therapy, Dr. England teaches clinicians how to integrate dry needling with technology and orthobiologics for outcomes patients feel immediately.

Dr. Raymond Butts

DPT, PhD, MS, FAAOMPT

A neuroscience-trained PhD and internationally recognized dry needling expert, Dr. Butts has taught over 500 seminars worldwide and specializes in evidence-driven, precise dry needling technique.

Dr. Brus Layson

DPT, FAAOMPT, AIB

A fellowship-trained clinician and respected educator, Dr. Layson specializes in complex cases and patient-centered reasoning—bringing practical clarity to dry needling across diverse MSK presentations.

What’s Included

Everything You Get With The American Dry Needling Association™ Diploma

Enrollment in the diploma provides comprehensive dry needling education across three progressive courses, extensive hands-on lab training, and validated skill assessment—so clinicians leave with a complete, full-body approach to modern dry needling.

  • A-DNA-1: Comprehensive Dry Needling Technique and Appendicular Related Conditions

  • A-DNA-2: Axial Skeleton and Pain Related Conditions

  • A-DNA-3: Advanced Specialty Topics

  • 81 total CEU hours (combined didactic + lab; state rules apply)

  • Manual and electric dry needling instruction

  • Structured safety and regional precaution frameworks

  • Written exams and oral–practical skill assessments

  • Comprehensive course manuals and protocol sheets

  • American Dry Needling Association™ DIploma credential upon completion of all 3 courses

  • Access to the free Torrentia Tribe community for discussion and support

FAQS

Still have questions?

Key details clinicians ask before enrolling

Who is this program designed for?

This diploma is designed for licensed and licensed-eligible rehab professionals involved in musculoskeletal and neuromuscular care, including physical therapists, athletic trainers, chiropractors, physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and other qualified clinicians, depending on state and professional regulations.

Do I need prior dry needling experience to enroll?

No prior dry needling coursework is required. The program begins with foundational safety, dosing, and technique principles and progresses systematically into more advanced applications.

How many CEUs are included?

Completion of all three courses includes 81 total CEU hours, combining didactic instruction and extensive hands-on lab training. CEU approval and credit type vary by state and profession.

How is the program delivered?

The diploma is a hybrid CEU program, completed through three 2-day in-person courses, with a strong emphasis on hands-on lab training. Each course also includes an 8-hour block of online didactic lecture. Each course builds on the previous one, expanding anatomical scope and clinical complexity.

Is electric dry needling taught?

Yes. Both manual and electric dry needling are taught throughout the program, with clear guidance on dosing parameters, progression, and clinical decision-making.

Are higher-risk regions such as the spine and pelvis covered safely?

Yes. Training includes structured regional precautions, contraindications, and safety frameworks for extremity, spinal, craniofacial, pelvic, and peri-neural applications.

How is competency assessed?

Competency is assessed through written exams and oral–practical skill evaluations designed to validate safe, effective clinical application—not just attendance.

How does scheduling work after registration?

After registration, participants receive detailed instructions for selecting course dates and locations. Courses may be completed sequentially as schedules allow.

Is this program aligned with current evidence and scope of practice?

Yes. Instruction is grounded in anatomy, physiology, and current evidence while remaining mindful of professional scope of practice and regional regulations.

What support is available after completing the courses?

Participants receive access to the Torrentia Tribe community, allowing for continued discussion, peer collaboration, and case-based learning beyond the classroom.

Don’t Leave Dry Needling to Guesswork

Start Your Dry Needling Journey With Skills That Improve Outcomes Immediately

With the American Dry Needling Association's™ Diploma, you gain a complete, systemized approach to manual and electric dry needling—built for modern rehab professionals who want clarity, safety, and real clinical impact.

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