Dry Needling Institute

What Dry Needling Institute does

Dry Needling Institute, LLC is a Rockville, Maryland-based healthcare professional training company founded in 1999 by Dr. David B. Fishkin, DC, MPH. The institute certifies licensed healthcare practitioners in dry needling — a manual therapeutic technique using sterile monofilament needles to treat myofascial trigger points and soft tissue dysfunction — through the proprietary Fishkin Dry Needling Technique, an evidence-based methodology grounded in anatomic, neurologic, and biomechanical principles.

The company's core offering is a tiered portfolio of in-person certification programs (18-hour, 20-hour, and 24-hour formats) that combine online pre-coursework with 12–18 hours of hands-on clinical training, delivered in limited class sizes across multiple U.S. states (Kentucky, Maryland, New Hampshire, Montana, North Carolina, West Virginia). Course fees range from approximately $2,100 to $3,000 per participant, accepted as one-time payments via major credit cards with payment plans available. Continuing education credits are offered through P.A.C.E. and APTA channels, embedding the curriculum into practitioner licensure workflows. A complementary clinical service line, the Fishkin Center for Back & Body Wellness, provides direct dry needling treatment to patients.

Revenue is generated through one-time course fees paid by individual registrants; the go-to-market is sales-led via phone registration (301-444-4890 / 240-401-0120) and the company website, supplemented by email marketing and referrals from state professional organizations and regulatory bodies. The business is a privately held, founder-owned LLC with 1–10 employees and no external funding or parent company; it has established institutional relationships including training clinical faculty at the National University of Health Sciences and delivering training to US military healthcare personnel.

Name

Dry Needling Institute

Legal name

The Dry Needling Institute, LLC

Website

https://dryneedlinginstitute.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dry Needling Institute is a founder-led Maryland-based professional training institute that certifies licensed healthcare practitioners (physical therapists, chiropractors, physicians, and others) in the proprietary Fishkin Dry Needling Technique through in-person courses delivered across multiple U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Dry Needling Certification Courses: Revenue generated from professional training courses for healthcare practitioners seeking dry needling certification. Course formats include 18-hour, 20-hour, and 24-hour programs combining online education with hands-on clinical training. Payment accepted via Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express with payment plans available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Dry Needling Institute provides professional certification training courses in dry needling therapy for licensed healthcare practitioners. Courses are offered in 18-hour, 20-hour, and 24-hour formats combining online coursework with hands-on clinical training across multiple U.S. states. The institute also delivers direct patient dry needling therapy services through the Fishkin Center for Back & Body Wellness, using the proprietary Fishkin Dry Needling Technique developed by founder Dr. David Fishkin.

Product overview

The Dry Needling Institute offers professional dry needling training courses as its primary product and service offering. The company provides multiple certification programs of varying lengths: 18-hour (Kentucky), 20-hour (Maryland, New Hampshire), and 24-hour (Montana, North Carolina, West Virginia) courses. These programs combine online coursework with hands-on clinical training to certify healthcare professionals in dry needling techniques. Additionally, the institute offers direct patient treatment services through the Fishkin Center for Back & Body Wellness, where Dr. David Fishkin provides dry needling therapy for individuals seeking pain relief and rehabilitation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fishkin Dry Needling Technique: The proprietary dry needling technique developed by Dr. David Fishkin, described as an efficient and effective clinical and evidence-based approach that is easier to administer and more comfortable for patients.

Products and services

• 18 Hour Kentucky Course An 18-hour dry needling certification class comprised of 12 hours of hands-on training over two days and 6 hours of online coursework prior to the hands-on session. Located in Cold Spring, KY at ProWellness Rehab, 3955 Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring, KY 41076. Priced at $2,200 per participant.
• 20 Hour Maryland Course A 20-hour, three-day dry needling certification class in Rockville/Gaithersburg, MD, providing full certification upon completion. Priced at $2,100 per participant. Located at 10810 Darnestown Rd, Suite 201A, Gaithersburg MD 20878.
• 20 Hour Amherst New Hampshire Course A 20-hour dry needling certification course with 6 hours online and 14 hours live hands-on training. Located at 104 NH-101A, Amherst NH 03031.
• 24 Hour Montana Course A 24-hour comprehensive dry needling certification course with 18 hours of hands-on training over three days and 6 hours of online/home study education. Located in Bozeman, MT at The Homewood Suites Bozeman. Priced at $3,000 per participant.
• 24 Hour North Carolina Course A 24-hour dry needling certification course offered in Raleigh, NC at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Raleigh-Durham Airport/Brier Creek, 10040 Sellona St, Raleigh, NC 27617. Course runs Friday through Sunday. Priced at $2,300 per participant.
• 24 Hour West Virginia Course A 24-hour certified dry needling training course in Morgantown, WV at the Holiday Inn-University Area, 1188 Pineview Drive, Morgantown, WV 26505. Includes 18 hours hands-on and 6 hours online/home study education. Priced at $2,500 per participant.
• Dry Needling Therapy (Fishkin Center for Back & Body Wellness) Clinical treatment service provided by Dr. David Fishkin using dry needling therapy to target myofascial trigger points, reduce pain, improve blood flow, and restore normal movement for patients with chronic pain and musculoskeletal conditions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Rapid and long-lasting pain relief with disrupted pain cycle and restored muscle function
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• National University of Health SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Fishkin trained clinical faculty at National University of Health Sciences, a premier chiropractic institution where dry needling concepts are being integrated into the core curriculum. This represents a deep integration of the Fishkin Dry Needling Technique into formal chiropractic education.
• US Military Healthcare PersonnelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Fishkin has trained US military healthcare personnel in the art and science of dry needling therapy, providing specialized training to military medical providers.
• State Professional Organizations and Regulatory AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Fishkin advocated for inclusion of Dry Needling in Maryland's scope of practice for chiropractic and has advised multiple state professional organizations and regulatory agencies on the importance of dry needling in professional scope and public access.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Active Release Techniques (ART): ART is a proprietary soft-tissue treatment and certification program that, like dry needling, targets myofascial and trigger-point conditions. Both are hands-on, certification-based continuing education models sold to the same licensed practitioner audience, making ART a strong adjacent competitor for practitioner training dollars.
• Graston Technique: Graston Technique offers certified instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization training to healthcare providers. It serves the same practitioner customer base (PTs, chiropractors, ATCs) and competes for the same continuing education budget allocated to myofascial and soft-tissue modalities.
• Myopain Seminars: Myopain Seminars provides dry needling and pain science continuing education courses for healthcare professionals across multiple US locations. It is a direct competitor offering similar foundational and advanced dry needling certifications to the same practitioner audience (PTs, DCs, MDs).
• KinetaCore: KinetaCore is one of the largest dry needling education providers in the US, offering foundational and advanced certification courses to physical therapists and other clinicians. It directly competes with the Dry Needling Institute on the same core offering — multi-state dry needling certification courses — with a larger instructor network and more developed online infrastructure.
• Integrative Dry Needling (IDN): IDN provides dry needling certification courses for physical therapists and other practitioners, structured around a proprietary methodology. It is a direct competitor offering similar foundational dry needling training courses to the same practitioner audience.

Others

• National University of Health Sciences: NUHS is a chiropractic institution where Dr. Fishkin has trained clinical faculty and integrated the Fishkin Technique into the curriculum. It is a strategic partner rather than a competitor, but represents a potential channel for institutional licensing of the technique.
• American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) - Continuing Education: APTA is the national professional association that accredits continuing education for physical therapists and affects the credentialing environment for dry needling training. While not a direct competitor, APTA's policies on CEU approvals and dry needling scope shape the addressable market for the institute's courses.

Broad incumbents

• Evidence in Motion (EIM): EIM is a continuing education and residency provider for physical therapists, offering certifications, residencies, and fellowship programs. While not exclusively focused on dry needling, it competes for PT continuing education spend and could expand into dry needling, displacing specialty providers like the Dry Needling Institute.
• University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences: USAHS is a major provider of PT and OT education with strong continuing education offerings, including manual therapy and dry needling courses. As a larger institution with formal academic accreditation, it represents a broader incumbent that could absorb students who might otherwise pursue specialty certificate programs.

Emerging players

• International Academy of Orthopedic Medicine - US (IAOM-US): IAOM-US offers orthopedic manual therapy courses and certifications for physical therapists, including some dry needling instruction. It serves the same clinical-audience pool focused on musculoskeletal treatment and is a relevant competing destination for practitioner training dollars.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DryNeedlingInstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dry-needling-institute

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dry Needling Institute