NCCAOM
NCBAHM (formerly NCCAOM) is the U.S. national certification body for acupuncturists and herbal medicine practitioners, certifying over 20,674 diplomates through standardized board examinations, renewal subscriptions, and 5,200+ approved continuing education courses.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What NCCAOM does
NCBAHM (formerly NCCAOM) is the United States' national certification and credentialing body for acupuncture and herbal medicine practitioners, operating as a non-profit headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. The organization provides board certification credentials including Board Certification in Acupuncture and the comprehensive Diplomate in Oriental Medicine (Dipl. OM.), supported by a standardized board examination process and an online certification portal for applications, renewals, and transcript management. It certifies over 20,674 diplomates nationwide, with state regulatory boards across most U.S. states recognizing NCBAHM certification as a prerequisite for licensure.
The organization's revenue model combines one-time certification and examination fees with recurring renewal subscriptions required to maintain active diplomate status, supplemented by fees paid by 1,500+ continuing education (PDA) providers whose 5,200+ approved courses feed the recertification pipeline. Supporting technology consists of multi-portal digital infrastructure: an applicant/diplomate portal, a separate PDA provider portal, and dedicated access points for state regulatory boards and ACAOM-accredited schools, operated primarily through self-serve workflows. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on professional networks, state board mandates, accredited school channels, and recurring webinars rather than paid demand generation.
The product portfolio has recently expanded beyond core Diplomate credentials to include specialty Certificates of Qualification in Acupuncture Injection Therapy (launched jointly with the American Society of Acupuncturists) and Chinese Herbal Compounding and Safety. Advocacy and regulatory services — including a Medicare Initiative, federal lobbying, and state-level relations — form a non-revenue but strategically important function that reinforces the credential's regulatory standing and third-party reimbursement eligibility for diplomates.
NCCAOM firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NCCAOM
- Legal name
- National Certification Board for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine
- Website
- https://nccaom.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- NCBAHM (formerly NCCAOM) is the U.S. national certification body for acupuncturists and herbal medicine practitioners, certifying over 20,674 diplomates through standardized board examinations, renewal subscriptions, and 5,200+ approved continuing education courses.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NCCAOM industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Certification and Credentialing Services
- NAICS
- Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)
Keywords
Where NCCAOM is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
NCCAOM business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Certification Fees: Fees for initial certification, examination, and credentialing of acupuncturists meeting national competency standards.
- Certification Renewal Fees: Recurring fees for maintaining active certification status, including compliance with continuing education requirements.
- PDA Provider Services: Fees for course approval and provider accreditation services for continuing education providers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Certification fees for acupuncturists |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
NCCAOM product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NCBAHM (formerly NCCAOM) is the national certification body for acupuncturists and Oriental/herbal medicine practitioners in the United States. It administers board certification examinations, issues Diplomate credentials, manages certification renewals, and approves continuing education courses through its PDA (Professional Development Activity) provider network. The organization serves individual practitioners, continuing education providers, accredited schools, and state regulatory boards.
Product overview
NCBAHM (formerly NCCAOM) operates as a certification and credentialing organization for acupuncture and herbal medicine practitioners. The organization offers a platform of certification programs including Board Certification in Acupuncture and the Diplomate in Oriental Medicine (Dipl. OM.), along with supporting digital platforms including applicant/diplomate portals, PDA provider portals, and state regulatory board verification systems. Educational offerings include a PDA (Professional Development Activities) program with over 5,200 approved courses from 1,500 providers, exam preparation resources, and webinar programs. The Find A Practitioner directory serves as a public-facing tool connecting patients with over 20,390 board-certified diplomates nationwide. Recent product additions include the Acupuncture Injection Therapy (AIT) Certificate of Qualification and Chinese Herbal Compounding and Safety Certificate of Qualification.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Board Certification in Acupuncture Primary national board certification credential for licensed acupuncturists demonstrating competency in acupuncture practice standards; required for state licensure in most U.S. jurisdictions.
- Diplomate in Oriental Medicine (Dipl. OM.) Comprehensive national certification covering both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine modalities for practitioners seeking broader scope of practice credentials.
- Board Examination Services Standardized national board examinations and assessment services administered to certification candidates as a prerequisite for earning Diplomate credentials.
- Professional Development Activities (PDA) Program Continuing education program providing access to over 5,200 approved courses from 1,500 PDA providers, supporting recertification and ongoing professional development for Diplomates.
- Certification Renewal Service Recurring certification maintenance service enabling Diplomates to renew their board-certified status and track continuing education compliance through an online portal and transcript system.
- Acupuncture Injection Therapy (AIT) Certificate of Qualification Specialized credential launched in 2025 jointly with ASA (American Society of Acupuncturists) enabling licensed acupuncturists to perform acupuncture injection therapy as part of expanded scope of practice.
- Chinese Herbal Compounding and Safety Certificate of Qualification Specialized credential launched in 2025 covering Chinese herbal compounding and safety practices, offered as part of NCBAHM's professional development certificate offerings.
- PDA Provider Approval Service Approval and accreditation service for continuing education providers seeking to offer NCBAHM-approved PDA courses to Diplomates for recertification credit.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 20,674 board-certified practitioners nationwide
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use NCCAOM
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
NCCAOM technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
NCCAOM partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- ACAOM (Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine)coreNCBAHM works with ACAOM-accredited schools to support graduate pathways to national board certification. ACAOM accreditation of educational programs is a prerequisite for many NCBAHM certification pathways.
- ASA (American Society of Acupuncturists)coreNCBAHM and ASA announced a joint national Acupuncture Injection Therapy (AIT) credential for licensed acupuncturists, representing a collaborative effort to expand professional scope of practice.
- State Regulatory BoardscorePartnerships with acupuncture regulatory boards across U.S. states for practitioner certification verification and licensing standardization. Boards utilize NCBAHM portals for status verification.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
NCCAOM competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA): A professional membership and certification body for athletic trainers with the BOC credential being required for state licensure. Closely parallels NCBAHM's structure: a non-profit certifying allied health practitioners with state regulatory board recognition and continuing education requirements.
- National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): A non-profit certification body for professional counselors whose NCC credential is widely required for state licensure. Closely mirrors NCBAHM's model of board certification, renewal cycles, continuing education requirements, and state board partnerships.
Broad incumbents
- American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT): A credentialing body for radiologic technologists with state-recognized certification. Operates a comparable model of standardized examination, certification renewal, continuing education tracking, and state board verification portals.
- Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB): U.S. organization representing state medical and osteopathic licensing boards. Comparable in serving as the connective infrastructure between a national credentialing body and state-level regulatory recognition, similar to NCBAHM's relationship with state acupuncture boards.
- American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC): A major U.S. nursing credentialing organization offering board certification, specialty credentials, and continuing education accreditation. Shares NCBAHM's model of combining primary certification, specialty certificates, and accredited continuing education providers.
- American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS): The leading U.S. physician board certification umbrella organization. Comparable as a national, multi-specialty professional certification body whose credentials are required for state licensure and recognized by healthcare regulators, though operating at much larger scale across conventional medicine.
- American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP): A large U.S. medical professional society providing CME accreditation, certification review, and continuing education programming. Comparable in offering physician-facing continuing education infrastructure analogous to NCBAHM's PDA program.
Emerging players
- American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA): The national professional society for licensed acupuncturists. A direct stakeholder peer within the same acupuncture profession, recently collaborating with NCBAHM on the joint AIT credential and representing the practitioner constituency.
- Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (ACAOM): The complementary accreditation body for acupuncture and herbal medicine schools. Operates as a closely related peer in the same professional ecosystem, with overlapping stakeholder relationships but focused on educational program accreditation rather than practitioner certification.
Others
- National Commission for Health Interpreter Credentialing (CIHC): A specialty healthcare certification body offering national credentials with state and employer recognition. Operates a comparable practitioner certification model in a different but adjacent allied health niche.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
NCCAOM social profiles
Digital presenceNCCAOM financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NCCAOM leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
NCCAOM funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NCCAOM M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NCCAOM
What does NCCAOM do?
NCBAHM (formerly NCCAOM) is the national certification body for acupuncturists and Oriental/herbal medicine practitioners in the United States. It administers board certification examinations, issues Diplomate credentials, manages certification renewals, and approves continuing education courses through its PDA (Professional Development Activity) provider network. The organization serves individual practitioners, continuing education providers, accredited schools, and state regulatory boards.
Is NCCAOM a public or private company?
NCCAOM is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was NCCAOM founded?
NCCAOM was founded in 1982. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is NCCAOM based?
NCCAOM is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does NCCAOM make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Certification Fees are the primary driver. The others are certification Renewal Fees and PDA Provider Services.
Who are NCCAOM's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) and National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). Broad incumbents are American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT), Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). Emerging players are American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA) and Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (ACAOM). National Commission for Health Interpreter Credentialing (CIHC) is listed as an others.
Does NCCAOM have an API?
No public API is recorded for NCCAOM.
What industry is NCCAOM in?
NCCAOM's product category is Professional Certification and Credentialing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADACAF, Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies. Its NAICS code is 611691 and its SIC code is 8200.