Q. How many doctors of chiropractic (DCs) are in my state?
What is the ratio of DCs to the population in my state?
Which states allow DCs to practice a particular modality?

A. Contact the Tennessee Chiropractic Board of Examiners for more information. Website: http://www.tennesseeanytime.org

• The Tennessee Board of Examiners maintains statistics on the licenses issued by the state.
• The website also includes a Scope of Practice in its directory which is available online at: www.state.tn.us/sos/rules/0260/0260.htm

Q. How many doctors of chiropractic practice in the US?

A. According to a December 1997 report produced by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research titled, "Chiropractic in the United States: Training, Practice and Research," there were approximately 50,000 doctors of chiropractic licensed in the United States in 1994. A recent study estimated that the number of chiropractors will double by the year 2010 to over 100,000 - far exceeding the 16 percent increase projected for medical doctors.¹

Q. How many Americans visit doctors of chiropractic per year?

A. According to results of a survey published in the November 11, 1998 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, approximately 11 percent of the population had visited a doctor of chiropractic in the previous year.² According to the US Census Bureau, today there are approximately 288 million people in the United States.³ Assuming the 11% annual figure has remained unchanged, the number of people who visit a chiropractor every year is now approximately 31.6 million.

1. Cooper RA, Stoflet SJ. Trends in the education and practice of alternative medicine clinicians. Health Affairs 1996; 15:226-38.
2. Eisenberg DM, Davis RB, Ettner SL, Appel S, Wilkey S, Van Rompay M, Kessler RC. Trends in Alternative Medicine Use in the United States, 1990-1997: Results of a Follow-up National Survey. JAMA 1998; 280: 1569-1575.
3. www.census.gov keeps a running tally of the population