DNM^®

DNM^®s (Doctorate of Natural Medicine^®) are a multidisciplinary group of Natural Medicine professionals including Traditional Naturopathy, Electropathy and Osteopathy practitioners, Holistic Medical Doctors, Dentist, Chiropractors and Veterinary Doctors, as well as Orthomolecular practitioners, Herbalists and Eastern Medicine doctors who practice Ayurveda and other Asian natural therapies, dedicated to providing basic, natural healthcare. The WBNM would like DNM^® to become a household name, and is dedicated to restoring the art and science of natural medicine to its rightful place in healthcare.

The practice of Natural Medicine is an art involving the application of natural therapeutic agents and restorative methods. It is therefore based on natural therapies which are in harmony with the nature of man and his environment. Natural therapeutic agents are material products composed of organic or inorganic constituents in native form. These techniques make use of material and energetic agents which are harmoniously oriented to processes in nature. Such agents and therapies employed as part of Natural Medicine practice can be applied for the assessment of bodily systems, prophylactic or curative purposes.

Natural Medicine Practitioners are trained in the basic medical sciences as well as in traditional natural medicine therapies tailored to the needs of the individual in a way that acknowledges the person as a participant in the restorative process.

DNM^® practitioners perform physical, nutritional and dietary assessments; as well as evaluation of body systems disorders. They are clinically trained in a wide variety of natural therapies. The practice of Natural Medicine is the promotion of health, the assessment of emotional, mental and physical disorders and the resultant therapeutic techniques to improve adaptive function.

Who are DNM^®s?

They are Practitioners of Natural Medicine who have met the standards in Natural Medicine education and the delivery of Natural Medicine Health care as established by the World Board of Natural Medicine, according to the World Health Organization standards.

A DNM^® is one who practices a system of medicine in which only natural substances and techniques are used, including but not limited to Nutritional and Dietary therapeutics, Botanical and Herbal remedies, Electropathy as a dynamic use of mineral therapy or natural environmental force, Acupuncture (specialized registration required), Manual Therapy (massage, manipulation and soft tissue mobilization), remedial exercises, Biochemical therapy (the use of natural cell salts) and hydrotherapies in all forms.

The Scope of Practice of a DNM^® is the assessment of emotional, mental and physical disorders using natural medicine techniques to promote maintain and restore health and wellness.

• Clinical Nutrition - the use of specific diets and nutritional supplements to prevent disease or re-establish the body chemistry.

• Botanical and Herbal Remedies - used for their balancing and nutritional value.

• Electropathy - Micro-doses of natural substances aimed at stimulating the self healing response without side effects.

• Physical Medicine - therapeutic manipulation of soft tissue, exercises, hydrotherapy, electrotherapy, ultrasound and heat and cold therapy.

• Oriental Medicine - This system of Medicine is not traditionally a western Natural Medicine healing system. Natural Medicine Practitioners who engage in Acupuncture or any technique that involve puncture of the skin must have proof of a license.

• Ayuveda and Indian Systems of Healing - a wholistic system of medicine that uses a constitutional model to provide guidance regarding dietary and lifestyle management.

• Lifestyle Counseling and Stress Management - Natural Medicine Practitioners are especially trained to offer coaching and education to the client on nutritional balancing, stress management, hypnotherapy and biofeedback as well as environmental factors that affect their health.

• Emergency Medicine - Natural Medicine Doctors must be competent in basic emergency / first aid.

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Educational Requirements for DNM^®’s:

The early “Nature Doctors”, as they were known, learned through observations and apprenticeship. Some have an allopathic education but instead established themselves as “Nature Doctors” by using only natural remedies and techniques.

The educational standards recommended by the founding fathers of Natural Medicine was that Natural Medicine Practitioners should be taught the necessary portions of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry along with Nutritional and Diet therapy, Herbal therapy, Manual therapy and Public Health. WBNM adapts the educational guidelines as recommended by the founding fathers of Natural Medicine.

Category I

Graduate from a Traditional program in Natural Medicine with 4400 hours of study:

• Pre-requisite to study Natural Medicine is a minimum of 3 years undergraduate University courses to include the following health sciences:

  • Anatomy

  • Physiology

  • Biochemistry

  • Public Health

• Followed by 4 years “Core” Natural Medicine courses:

  • Natural Medicine Modalities

  • Clinical Internship / Mentorship

The teachers instructing the above courses must have a Doctoral level of education and at least five years of experience and formal training as a Natural Medicine Professional.

Category II

Foreign-trained Natural Medicine Doctors whose past training curriculum equals 4400 hours of study or whose combined training and years of experience amounts to 4400 hours.

Doctors in this category include Naturopaths, Homeopaths, Eastern Medicine Doctors ((Ayurveda, Chinese, or Indo-Pak).

The potential registrant is required to submit proof of education and must pass a challenge examination to be registered.

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Category III

Western or Foreign trained Doctors: Chiropractors, Medical Doctors, Dentist, Osteopaths, Orthomolecular Medical Practitioners who have been practicing Integrative / Natural Medicine and have accumulated at least 1000 hours of training and experience in at least two areas of Natural Medicine. The potential registrant is required to submit proof of education and must pass a challenge examination to be registered.

Doctors or Practitioners of other regulated health care professions must also be governed by their regulated college and show proof of licensed to practice.

In a world with so many different techniques, modalities and practices in Natural Medicine, the question often comes up about what a Natural Medicine Practitioner with a title of DNM^® / Doctorate of Natural Medicine^®

How does the World Board of Natural Medicine define our philosophy, ethics and scope of practice and what are the goals of natural healing?

Since the late 1980s, there has been a phenomenal growth in natural medicine in North America, more than in any other area of health care. Exhaustive research carried out by the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that only the United States and Canada have official registration and accreditation for Naturopaths and Natural Medicine Practitioners, with the United Kingdom only recently beginning a registry.

The overwhelming lack of recognition and the relatively low numbers of qualified doctors, therapists and technicians practicing Natural Medicine worldwide leaves the worlds’ poverty-stricken population without Natural healthcare or simply to rely on the availability of Conventional Medicine, which uses expensive drugs and diagnostics. The few DNM^®s who practice some form of natural medicine or the practitioners of indigenous medicine, require a confident public image, and so achieve the respect of practice as other regulated professions under RHPA.

The World Board of Natural Medicine (WBNM) was established in 2000 as per World Health Organization-Alma Ata 1962 (WHO International Syllabus 1974).

The WBNM strongly adheres to the principle that DNM^®s are not “ Medical Doctors”, but they should be knowledgeable in recognizing conditions that are beyond their skills and competence to know that certain clients are in need of “Allopathic Medical Services” and must refer such client to a “ Medical Doctor” or other appropriate healthcare practitioner.

 

• DNM^®s are not “Holistic Practitioners”

• DNM^®s are not “Alterative Practitioners”

• DNM^®s are not “Complementary Health Practitioners”

• DNM^® is not synonymous with any other nebulous names that other groups try to define us by

 

• DNM^®s are Natural Medicine Practitioners

• DNM^® system is practiced for over 5000 years

• DNM^® has been an established profession in North America for over 200 years

• DNM^® was re-defined and re-established in Canada since 1989

 

^{® - Registered trademark of EBNMP Canada. Used under license.}

™ - Trademark of EBNMP Canada. Used under license.

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