About Naturopathic Medicine
What is naturopathic medicine?
Naturopathic medicine is a distinct system of primary care that addresses the root cause of illness or disease and promotes health and healing using natural therapies. Treatment modalities may include clinical nutrition, botanical (herbal) medicine, homeopathic medicine, physical treatments, acupuncture and Asian medicine and lifestyle counselling.The primary goal of naturopathic treatment is to address the cause of the illness rather than simply treating or suppressing symptoms. While naturopathic care helps to alleviate specific symptoms, NDs are primarily concerned with addressing the root cause of an illness: the focus is more on the why of a disease than the what.
What is the difference between naturopathic medicine and homeopathy?
Naturopathic doctors (NDs) are general practitioners of natural medicine. They are trained to treat ailments using clinical nutrition, acupuncture, botanical medicine, physical medicine, lifestyle counselling and homeopathy.Homeopaths, on the other hand, are trained to practice in one discipline – homeopathy.
So while a homeopath would prescribe a homeopathic therapy, a naturopathic doctor would use any of the approaches listed above, including homeopathy, in their treatments.
In addition, homeopathy is not a regulated or licensed health profession in Ontario. Naturopathic medicine is regulated and licensed in Ontario.
About Naturopathic Doctors
What is a naturopathic doctor?
Naturopathic doctors are highly educated primary care providers who integrate standard medical diagnostics with a broad range of natural therapies.What can I expect from my first visit to a naturopathic doctor?
Your first visit with an ND may be one hour or more in length. A very extensive patient history eliciting information about your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health is taken and a complaint-oriented physical exam performed. Your ND may then suggest further specialized testing.With your input, your ND will propose a personalized treatment plan to help you achieve your health goals.
How do I pay for a visit to a naturopathic doctor?
Visits to an ND are currently NOT covered by OHIP. Most extended health care plans do cover the cost of seeing an ND. It’s important to check with your extended health care provider to determine the amount of your naturopathic coverage.The suggested fee per hour for an appointment with a naturopathic doctor is between $125 and $180. An initial visit can last for up to 1.5 hours. To view the current fee schedule for visits to an ND, click here.
Do naturopathic doctors have specialties?
NDs may have ‘special interests’ in health conditions in which the ND has had extensive treatment experience or holds keen interest, or a modality used preferentially with a high degree of success.We do not refer to these as specialties, as this implies that the ND has special training in a particular area.
At present, there are no specialist-level educational programs for NDs provided by naturopathic colleges, although NDs may have special training beyond their training at a naturopathic college (for parenteral therapy, for example).
Although an ND may have a special interest in a specific disease or treatment modality, naturopathic care is always holistic in nature and highly individualized and unique to each patient.
Can naturopathic doctors treat ?
Yes. NDs are primary health care practitioners, which means that they can treat the same conditions as a family doctor, including both acute concerns and chronic health conditions. In the event that an ND is unable to treat your condition, they will refer appropriately.Are there naturopathic doctors who are also medical doctors?
There are no naturopathic doctors in Ontario who are licensed medical doctors. There are a number of naturopathic doctors in Ontario that trained and practiced as medical doctors outside of Canada, and whom decided to train and practice as naturopathic doctors in Canada. These individuals are not licensed as medical doctors in Canada and thus are not covered by OHIP and do not prescribe pharmaceuticals.Undoubtedly there are medical doctors that have an interest in providing advice on natural therapies. However, these doctors would not be considered naturopathic doctors and do not have the specialized training in each and all of the disciplines of naturopathic medicine.
About Regulation
Are naturopathic doctors regulated in Ontario?
Naturopathic doctors are the only regulated health professionals in the field of natural medicine in Ontario. Naturopathic doctors are regulated in Ontario under the 1925 Drugless Therapy Act and are registered (licensed) by the Board of Directors of Drugless Therapy-Naturopathy (BDDTN). The BDDTN functions to ensure that naturopathic doctors are properly qualified to practice naturopathic medicine and that they follow the appropriate standards of practice.Ontario’s new Naturopathy Act received final approval in June, 2007 and will come into full effect following an extensive transition process. The Naturopathy Act will move the regulation of naturopathic doctors under the Regulated Health Professions Act, joining all other regulated health professions. The Naturopathy Act also confirms the current scope of NDs as primary care practitioners who are able to provide diagnoses and have access to key controlled acts.
Naturopathic doctors are also regulated in Canada in the provinces of British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
How can I tell if someone is qualified as a naturopathic doctor?
In Ontario, the public can call the Board of Directors of Drugless Therapy-Naturopathy (BDDTN) at 416-866-8383 to verify that a naturopathic doctor is registered to practice in the province. The BDDTN is the regulatory body that registers naturopathic doctors to practice in Ontario.In addition, the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors only accepts registered naturopathic doctors as members and can also be contacted to verify if an ND is licensed. The OAND can be reached at 416-233-2001 or info@oand.org.
About Training
What is the training process to become a registered naturopathic doctor in Ontario?
NDs obtain comprehensive and rigorous training in an educational structure similar to that of medical doctors. NDs require three years of pre-med postsecondary education, plus four years of fulltime study at an approved college of naturopathic medicine.The four year program incorporates over 4,500 hours of classroom training in basic medical science courses, clinical sciences and naturopathic therapies, as well as 1500 hours of supervised clinical experience.
Graduates from an accredited naturopathic college receive the designation Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND).
Following the completion of their program, NDs must successfully complete the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations (NPLEX) in order to qualify for licensing in Ontario. NPLEX is the standard examination used by all regulated provinces and states across North America.
NDs are also required to earn continuing education credits on an ongoing basis to maintain their registration and good standing with the regulatory body.
