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Why Choose An Audiologist?
The credentials of hearing aid providers can be confusing. As you’ll see, there are real differences in qualifications, so it pays to understand these credentials and know how your provider compares. Don’t assume that because they wear a white lab coat, appear skilled, own the office, or speak confidently, that your provider is a “hearing doctor”. |
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Who can provide hearing aid services? In most states, either dispensing audiologists or fitters/dispensers of hearing aids are hearing aid providers.
An audiologist is a person who meets the state’s qualifications to practice clinical audiology, which is the application of scientific principles, methods and procedures for measurement, testing, appraisal, prediction, consultation, counseling, habilitation, rehabilitation, or instruction related to disorders of the hearing and balance systems relating to hearing loss. Audiologists are qualified to assess and treat children and adults. A beginning audiologist must have at least a Master’s Degree (M.S., or M.A.) or a Doctorate Degree (Au.D.) in communicative sciences and disorders from an accredited college or university before they can become licensed by the state. A certified audiologist will have the credentials “C.C.C./A.”, which stands for Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology. In addition to holding this national certificate of clinical competence, audiologists may also be “Board Certified” if they meet the stringent requirements of the granting audiology organization, the American Academy of Audiology.
A fitter/dispenser is a person who measures hearing using an audiometer and selects, adapts, and sells hearing instruments. In most states to be licensed as a fitter/dispenser a person must pass an exam given by the State Committee of Examiners in the Fitting and Dispensing of Hearing Instruments and be supervised by another fitter/dispenser for one year. No college degree of any sort is required for licensure. Only a high school diploma is required. Fitters and dispensers may be “Board Certified” if they meet the requirements of the National Board of Hearing Instrument Sciences. Fitters and dispensers will frequently use the designator, “HIS” which stands for Hearing Instrument Sciences.
Both audiologists and fitter/dispensers can be qualified to fit hearing aids. We recommend using an audiology-based practice because only audiologists are educated and trained to perform a comprehensive examination that will confirm or rule out the need for medical intervention. Even a well intended dispenser may miss signs of ear disease or brain disorders simply because of limited educational background. |
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Tip: A practice may advertise that an audiologist or M.D. (Ear, Nose and Throat Medical Specialist), is “On Staff”, but they may actually only practice in that office once or twice a year or in some cases not at all. “On Staff” does not necessarily mean that person will participate in your hearing care, sometimes it means remotely involved!
Tip: To determine the qualifications of your hearing aid provider, look for the C.C.C./A., which is the designator for nationally certified audiologist or H.I.S. which is a common designator used by a licensed fitter/dispenser. |
