Chiropractic Care

As one of healthcare’s fastest growing professions globally, chiropractic care has earned recognition for its remarkable effectiveness through the use of natural, nonsurgical and drugless methods of treatment. Today there are more than 70,000 active chiropractic licenses in the United States alone, and the ranks of chiropractors are multiplying rapidly in many countries throughout the world.

In the United States, chiropractic is the third largest primary healthcare profession, surpassed in numbers only by physicians and dentists. It is the largest, most regulated, and best recognized of the complementary and alternative healthcare professions. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands officially recognize chiropractic as a primary healthcare profession distinct from medicine.

Doctors of chiropractic refer patients to and receive referrals from many healthcare professionals. Often chiropractic can provide safe and effective treatment without drugs or surgery for a wide range of health conditions.

Role of the NBCE

NBCE exams offer assurance to the general public that, regardless of where a chiropractor went to school or was licensed, he or she has demonstrated a baseline of knowledge as well as ability in diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, principles of chiropractic, associated clinical sciences and chiropractic practice.

Candidates typically take NBCE exams before graduating from chiropractic college. Exam scores are made available to licensing authorities within and outside the United States. In the U.S., all 50 states either accept or require candidates to pass Parts I, II, III, and IV for licensure.

The NBCE was incorporated in 1963. From there, each state legislature considered its professional licensing laws and the possibility of requiring the NBCE’s exams. State by state, NBCE exams became accepted or required prior to application for licensure. Today all 50 states and the District of Columbia accept or require our exams.