Summary:

Delaware licenses dietitians and nutritionists under an exclusive scope of practice model. Only a licensed dietitian or a licensed nutritionist can provide therapeutic nutrition care including: assessment, goal setting, counseling, or evaluating nutrient-drug interaction. This law does not apply to other licensed professionals; those conducting lifestyle coaching; those providing therapeutic nutrition care as part of a religious or spiritual practice; or those making lifestyle recommendations. Only licensed individuals may use the titles "Licensed Dietitian," "Licensed Nutritionist," "Nutritionist," "Dietitian," or the initials "L.D.N.", or any combination of above terms and/or abbreviations.

Special State of Emergency Summary:

Licensure requirements are waived for out of state licensed practitioners during the time of emergency.

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Practice Act/Statute Rules & Regulations Regulatory Body

Qualification Requirements for State Licensure or State Certification:

• Academic: A bachelor's or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution, and a major course of study in human nutrition, nutrition education, food and nutrition, dietetics, or food systems management.
• Experience: Completion of 900 hours of documented supervised practice, which may be through completion of a CDR program or through 900 hours of supervised participation in nutrition services, which must include direct client/patient involvement, and may be concurrent with or following completion of the academic requirements for certification. Experience must be completed under the supervision of a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS), Registered Dietitian (RD), licensed dietitian, or a licensed healthcare practitioner or an individual with a doctoral degree with a major course study in human nutrition, nutrition education, food and nutrition, dietetics, or food systems management.
• Examination: The Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) examination of the Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists (BCNS), the Registered Dietitian (RD) examination established by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), or another national examination acceptable to the Board and approved by the Director of the Division of Professional Regulation.

Disclaimer: This is a preliminary interpretation of language of state statutes and regulations, and cannot substitute for legal counsel.