Dietetic Technician, Registered

What is a Dietetic Technician, Registered?
A dietetic technician, registered is a food and nutrition practitioner, often working in conjunction with a Registered Dietitian, who has met the minimum academic and professional requirements to qualify for the credential “DTR.” In addition to DTR credentialing, some states have regulatory laws for dietetic technicians, registered. Like RDs, DTRs must complete professional educational requirements to maintain their registration.

What Are Educational and Professional Requirements for a Dietetic Technician, Registered?
Dietetic Technicians, Registered must meet the following criteria to earn the DTR credential:

Complete at least a two-year associate’s degree at a U.S. regionally accredited university or college and course work approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association, which must include 450 hours of supervised practice experience in various community programs, health care and foodservice facilities
Pass a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration
Complete continuing professional educational requirements to maintain registration.

What do You Study to Become a Dietetic Technician, Registered?
Students wishing to become dietetic technicians, registered study subjects including food and nutrition, foodservice systems management and a range of general science courses.

Where do Dietetic Technicians, Registered Work?
The majority of dietetic technicians work with registered dietitians in a variety of employment settings including health care (assisting dietitians in providing medical nutrition therapy), in hospitals, HMOs, clinics or other health-care facilities. In addition, a large number of dietetic technicians work in community and public health settings such as school or day care centers, correctional facilities, weight management clinics and WIC programs as nutrition counselors. A growing number of dietetic technicians work in the food and nutrition industry, as contract employees for food management companies or food vending and distributing companies, developing menus and overseeing foodservice sanitation and food safety or providing food labeling information and nutrient analysis.

Employment Settings
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not project employment for dietetic technicians, registered specifically but the job market for diettic technicians, registered is assumed to be similar to that for dietitians and nutritionists. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of dietitians and nutritionists is expected to grow about as fast as average for all occupations through the year 2014 because of increased emphasis on disease prevention, a growing and aging population, and public interest in nutrition. mployment in hospitals is expected to show little change because of anticipated slow growth and reduced lenghts of hospital stay; however, faster growth is anticipated in nursing homes, residential care facilitites and physician clinics.

ADA's most recent survey of members in 2007 shows the most common employment settings for the dietetic physician, registered as:

Hospitals 39%
Extended-care Facilitis 32%
Communityor Public Health 9%

What is the salary for Dietetic Technicians, Registered?
As with any profession, salaries and fees vary by region of the country, employment settings, scope of responsibility and supply of DTRs. According to ADA’s 2007 Compensation and Benefits Survey, half of all registered dietetic technicians employed full-time in their primary position for five years or less earn annual incomes of between $30,000 and $40,000.

For More Information
Write
The American Dietetic Association
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000
Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995

Media information
Public Relations: 800/877-1600, ext. 4802, 4769, 4894 or 4822.
Web site: www.eatright.org/.

With nearly 70,000 members, the American Dietetic Association is the nation’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA serves the public by promoting optimal nutrition, health and well-being.

Visit CADE more information on accredited DTR education programs.