North Dakota Administrative Code › Title 61.5 - North Dakota Board of Physical Therapy › Article 61.5-06 - Miscellaneous › Chapter 61.5-06-01 - Terms and Titles › Section 61.5-06-01-01 - Terms and titles

Current through Supplement No. 393, July, 2024
A physical therapist shall use the letters "PT" in connection
				  with the physical therapist's name or place of business to denote licensure
				  under North Dakota Century Code chapter 43-26.1. Other letter designations such
				  as "RPT", "LPT", or academic and professional degrees should not be substituted
				  for the regulatory designation of "PT".
1. "PTA" is the preferred regulatory
				designation of a physical therapist assistant. A physical therapist assistant
				shall use the letters "PTA" in connection with that person's name to denote
				licensure under this chapter. A person shall not use the title "physical
				therapist assistant", the letters "PTA", or any other words, abbreviations, or
				insignia in connection with that person's name to indicate or imply, directly
				or indirectly, that the person is a physical therapist assistant unless that
				person is licensed under this chapter.
2. Except as otherwise provided by law, a
				person or business entity, and its employees, agents, or representatives, shall
				not use in connection with that person's or entity's name or activity the words
				"physical therapy", "physical therapist", "physiotherapist", "registered
				physical therapist", the letters "PT", "MPT", "DPT", "LPT", "RPT", or any other
				words, abbreviation, or insignia indicating or implying directly or indirectly
				that physical therapy is provided or supplied, unless such services are
				provided by or under the direction of a physical therapist licensed pursuant to
				this chapter. A person or business entity shall not advertise or otherwise
				promote another person as being a "physical therapist" or "physiotherapist"
				unless the individual so advertised or promoted is licensed as a physical
				therapist under this chapter. A person or business entity that offers,
				provides, or bills any other person for services shall not characterize those
				services as "physical therapy" unless the individual performing that service is
				licensed as a physical therapist under this chapter.
3. The designations "SPT" and "SPTA" should
				be used for physical therapist students and physical therapist assistant
				students, respectively, up to the time of graduation.
4. In order to promote consistent
				communication of the presentation of credentials and letter designations, the
				preferred order of credentials should be:
a.
				PT/PTA.
b. Highest earned physical
				therapy-related degree.
c. Other
				earned academic degrees.
d.
				Specialist certification credentials in alphabetical order (specific to the
				American board of physical therapy specialties).
e. Physical therapists who have graduated
				from a DPT program may use the title "doctor of physical therapy". A physical
				therapist holding a DPT degree or another doctoral degree may not use the title
				"doctor" without clearly informing the public of the physical therapist's
				profession as a physical therapist.