147.74 - PROFESSIONAL TITLES OR ABBREVIATIONS -- FALSE USE PROHIBITED.
147.74 PROFESSIONAL TITLES OR ABBREVIATIONS -- FALSE
USE PROHIBITED.
1. Any person who falsely claims by the use of any professional
title or abbreviation, either in writing, cards, signs, circulars,
advertisements, the internet, or other written or electronic means,
to be a practitioner of a profession other than the one under which
the person holds a license or who fails to use the designations
provided in this section shall be guilty of a simple misdemeanor.
2. A physician or surgeon may use the prefix "Dr." or "Doctor",
and shall add after the person's name the letters, "M. D."
3. An osteopathic physician and surgeon may use the prefix "Dr."
or "Doctor", and shall add after the person's name the letters, "D.
O.", or the words "osteopathic physician and surgeon".
4. A chiropractor may use the prefix "Dr." or "Doctor", but shall
add after the person's name the letters, "D. C." or the word,
"chiropractor".
5. A dentist may use the prefix "Dr." or "Doctor", but shall add
after the person's name the letters "D. D. S.", or "D. M. D.", or the
word "dentist" or "dental surgeon". A dental hygienist may use the
words "registered dental hygienist" or the letters "R. D. H." after
the person's name. A dental assistant may use the words "registered
dental assistant" or the letters "R. D. A." after the person's name.
6. A podiatric physician may use the prefix "Dr." or "Doctor",
but shall add after the person's name the letters "D. P. M." or the
words "podiatric physician".
7. A graduate of a school accredited by the board of optometry
may use the prefix "Dr." or "Doctor", but shall add after the
person's name the letters "O. D."
8. A physical therapist registered or licensed under chapter 148A
may use the words "physical therapist" after the person's name or
signify the same by the use of the letters "P. T." after the person's
name. A physical therapist with an earned doctoral degree from an
accredited school, college, or university may use the suffix
designating the degree, or the prefix "Doctor" or "Dr." and add after
the person's name the words "physical therapist". An occupational
therapist registered or licensed under chapter 148B may use the words
"occupational therapist" after the person's name or signify the same
by the use of the letters "O. T." after the person's name. An
occupational therapist with an earned doctoral degree from an
accredited school, college, or university may use the suffix
designating the degree, or the prefix "Doctor" or "Dr." and add after
the person's name the words "occupational therapist".
9. A physical therapist assistant licensed under chapter 148A may
use the words "physical therapist assistant" after the person's name
or signify the same by use of the letters "P. T. A." after the
person's name. An occupational therapy assistant licensed under
chapter 148B may use the words "occupational therapy assistant" after
the person's name or signify the same by use of the letters "O. T.
A." after the person's name.
10. A psychologist who possesses a doctoral degree may use the
prefix "Dr." or "Doctor" but shall add after the person's name the
word "psychologist".
11. A speech pathologist with an earned doctoral degree in speech
pathology obtained beyond a bachelor's degree from an accredited
school, college, or university, may use the suffix designating the
degree, or the prefix "Doctor" or "Dr." and add after the person's
name the words "speech pathologist". An audiologist with an earned
doctoral degree in audiology obtained beyond a bachelor's degree from
an accredited school, college, or university, may use the suffix
designating the degree, or the prefix "Doctor" or "Dr." and add after
the person's name the word "audiologist".
12. A bachelor social worker licensed under chapter 154C may use
the words "licensed bachelor social worker" or the letters "L. B. S.
W." after the person's name. A master social worker licensed under
chapter 154C may use the words "licensed master social worker" or the
letters "L. M. S. W." after the person's name. An independent social
worker licensed under chapter 154C may use the words "licensed
independent social worker", or the letters "L. I. S. W." after the
person's name.
13. A marital and family therapist licensed under chapter 154D
and this chapter may use the words "licensed marital and family
therapist" after the person's name or signify the same by the use of
the letters "L. M. F. T." after the person's name. A marital and
family therapist licensed under chapter 154D and this chapter who
possesses a doctoral degree may use the prefix "Doctor" or "Dr." in
conjunction with the person's name, but shall add after the person's
name the words "licensed marital and family therapist".
14. A mental health counselor licensed under chapter 154D and
this chapter may use the words "licensed mental health counselor"
after the person's name. A mental health counselor licensed under
chapter 154D and this chapter who possesses a doctoral degree may use
the prefix "Doctor" or "Dr." in conjunction with the person's name,
but shall add after the person's name the words "licensed mental
health counselor".
15. A pharmacist who possesses a doctoral degree recognized by
the accreditation council for pharmacy education from a college of
pharmacy approved by the board of pharmacy or a doctor of philosophy
degree in an area related to pharmacy may use the prefix "Doctor" or
"Dr." but shall add after the person's name the word "pharmacist" or
"Pharm. D."
16. A physician assistant licensed under chapter 148C may use the
words "physician assistant" after the person's name or signify the
same by the use of the letters "P. A." after the person's name.
17. A massage therapist licensed under chapter 152C may use the
words "licensed massage therapist" or the initials "L. M. T." after
the person's name.
18. An acupuncturist licensed under chapter 148E may use the
words "licensed acupuncturist" or the abbreviation "L. Ac." after the
person's name.
19. A respiratory care practitioner licensed under chapter 152B
and this chapter may use the title "respiratory care practitioner" or
the letters "R. C. P." after the person's name.
20. An athletic trainer licensed under chapter 152D and this
chapter may use the words "licensed athletic trainer" or the letters
"LAT" after the person's name.
21. A registered nurse licensed under chapter 152 may use the
words "registered nurse" or the letters "R. N." after the person's
name. A licensed practical nurse licensed under chapter 152 may use
the words "licensed practical nurse" or the letters "L. P. N." after
the person's name.
22. A sign language interpreter or transliterator licensed under
chapter 154E and this chapter may use the title "licensed sign
language interpreter" or the letters "L. I." after the person's name.
23. No other practitioner licensed to practice a profession under
any of the provisions of this subtitle shall be entitled to use the
prefix "Dr." or "Doctor" unless the licensed practitioner possesses
an earned doctoral degree. Such a practitioner shall reference the
degree held after the person's name. Section History: Early Form
[C31, 35, § 2510-d1; C39, § 2510.1; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66,
71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, § 147.74; 81 Acts, ch 66, § 1] Section History: Recent Form
84 Acts, ch 1075, § 11; 87 Acts, ch 215, § 40; 88 Acts, ch 1225, §
10; 90 Acts, ch 1168, § 27; 91 Acts, ch 228, § 1; 91 Acts, ch 229, §
4; 92 Acts, ch 1137, § 7; 92 Acts, ch 1183, § 4; 93 Acts, ch 86, §
13; 95 Acts, ch 108, §4; 96 Acts, ch 1035, § 4; 96 Acts, ch 1036, §
21; 98 Acts, ch 1053, §19; 99 Acts, ch 101, §1; 2000 Acts, ch 1053,
§3; 2001 Acts, ch 58, §7; 2003 Acts, ch 93, §1, 14; 2004 Acts, ch
1045, §2; 2004 Acts, ch 1175, §424, 433; 2007 Acts, ch 10, §61; 2007
Acts, ch 215, §246; 2008 Acts, ch 1088, §31
Referred to in § 148A.7