Thank you for your interest in the CCAOM Clean Needle Technique Course. Prior to registering, please review the following information. For questions not addressed here, see the Frequently Asked Questions page or contact the office.
Acceptance into a CNT Course: Read thoroughly to understand the registration approval process.
Candidate Demographic Information: Please keep your physical and email addresses updated in your CCAOM portal. Be sure that the name on your CNT course registration exactly matches the name on your photo ID. Note that this name will be used for your certificate of completion and all requested CNT verification. Be advised the reissuing of a certificate with a different version of your name, or replacing a certificate due to non-delivery, will incur an additional fee.
Certificate of Completion: Upon successful completion, candidates may state that they hold a certificate in Clean Needle Technique as administered by the CCAOM, but may not state that they are certified in acupuncture, Oriental medicine, or any other modality as a result of completion of the CNT course. Candidates shall not use acronyms or subtitles after their names to reference the CNT certificate; neither will the CNT certificate include any acronyms or subtitles after candidates' names.
Challenging Written Exam Questions: Any questions or comments about exam content or administration must be submitted in writing to the CCAOM no later than seven business days after the course.
Confidentiality: All candidate CNT course records are permanently and securely maintained and verification is always available upon request. No information will be released without the express written authorization of the candidate. Payment information is not stored and all CCAOM systems and processes are PCI compliant.
Disability Accommodations: The CCAOM provides equal access to the CNT course for individuals with disabilities and does not discriminate on the basis of disability or a serious medical condition. As required by law, reasonable accommodations will be made to ensure equal access for persons with disabilities without fundamentally altering the nature or learning objectives of the course. or lowering assessment standards. Individuals seeking accommodations are required to provide current documentation and request specific reasonable accommodations. To request an accommodation, the following documents must be uploaded during the online registration request process:
Documentation should be submitted via the CNT Course Disability Accommodation Upload Form.
*Please note: CCAOM can only honor accommodation requests made at the time of initial course registration.
Dismissal for Reason: The CCAOM enforces a non-negotiable policy for immediate dismissal without refund from any CNT course session for reasons including, but not limited to:
Exams: All course attendees must complete both an online live-proctored 55 multiple-choice question written exam and an online real-time practical exam, which consists of demonstrating proper needling technique based on verbal instructions. Only candidates who pass the written exam will be allowed to register for the practical exam. Written and practical exam results are typically emailed within 10 business days.
Fees: The fee for the English language online CNT course and written exam is $150. There is an additional fee of $50 for a foreign language written exam. The fee for the Chinese or Korean version of the online CNT course (with foreign language written exam included) is $200. There is also a $75 fee for the online examiner-administered practical exam, regardless of language requested. The retake fee is $75 for the written exam and $75 for the practical exam.
Language of Course / Exam | Fee |
English Course and Written Exam | $150 |
English Course with Chinese or Korean Written Exam | $200 |
Chinese or Korean Course and Written Exam | $200 |
Practical Exam (all languages) | $75 |
Foreign Language: Some states may require completion of the CNT course in English. Be sure to check your state's licensing requirements before registering. To receive credit for completing the CNT course in English, the course and both written and practical exams must be completed in English. Please select the preferred written exam language when registering online.
NCCAOM CNT Policy: Individuals seeking NCCAOM certification must have completed a CCAOM CNT course within the six years prior to their application date for NCCAOM certification. Otherwise, the CNT course must be re-taken, unless the applicant has held a continuous license to practice acupuncture within the last three years before applying to NCCAOM for certification. Please contact the NCCAOM for more information about this policy.
Pass Rate: Historically, about 90% of all candidates pass the CNT course (including written and practical exams) on the first attempt.
Prerequisites: Current acupuncture school students (or those who are enrolled in an NCCAOM-approved or state-approved tutorial) are required to have at least begun a needling techniques course no later than the date of their CCAOM CNT practical exam.
Switching Written or Practical Exam Dates and Times: Please contact the office.
*Note: If you miss your exam time, or do not give 24 hours notice that you will miss your exam, you will not be issued a refund and you will be charged a retake fee of $75.
Switching Written or Practical Exam Languages: Please contact the office. There may be a fee associated with switching your exam language. CCAOM will not be able to accommodate requests made less than 14 days prior to the exam date.
Withdrawing from a CNT Course: Please contact the office as soon as possible. Due to the online nature of the course, refunds for withdrawing are not offered. In the case of a documented illness or other emergency that impacts your ability to complete the online course and/or your scheduled written or practical exam, notify the office immediately.