★★★★★
I had an excellent experience at Highbar's Dry Needling Certification. Following the course, I feel much more confident completing dry needling on my patients. Overall, 10/10 class!!
Dry Needling Certification · Level I
Start Needling Patients With Confidence — The Very Next Day
A 2-day, 16-hour hands-on intensive for licensed PTs. Taught by board-certified OCS clinicians who use these techniques in the clinic every week.
16 Contact Hours
APTA MA-Approved
In-Person · RI & MA
$950
PT Only
Limited Spots
APTA
APPR
16 CEUs recognized across all six New England states — RI, MA, CT, VT, NH, ME
Register
Includes your lab manual and lunch both days.
$950.00
✅ APTA MA approved
🔒 Secure registration
16 Hours
APTA-approved contact hours over two days
6 States
CEUs recognized across New England
5.0 / 5.0
Rated by course participants
OCS-Led
Board-certified Highbar clinicians teaching
What this certification actually covers
Not just how to needle — when.
Dry needling uses thin filiform needles to target myofascial trigger points and drive change in pain, movement, and muscle function. It’s become a core skill in orthopedic and sports PT because it does what few modalities can: create a fast, measurable shift you can build a treatment session around.
This certification is built for licensed PTs adding needling to their toolkit — new grads who want to stand out from day one, and experienced clinicians treating myofascial pain and movement dysfunction who want a real, evidence-based option. You’ll learn patient selection, dosing, and integration with the manual therapy and exercise you already do.
The certification runs in two levels. Level 1 covers foundational technique across the major muscle groups of the extremities and spine. Level 2 builds on it — deeper spine and extremity musculature, plus advanced electrical stimulation techniques. Level 2 requires Level 1 completion.
Curriculum
What You Learn Over Two Days
Eight learning objectives, mapped to the muscle regions you'll actually needle in lab — with everything you need to arrive ready.
Neurophysiological mechanisms of dry needling and intramuscular stimulation (IMS)
Trigger point identification and palpation across major muscle groups
Safe needling technique for superficial and deep target muscles
Segmental, regional, and systemic effects of dry needling
Integrating dry needling with manual therapy and therapeutic exercise
Clinical reasoning frameworks for patient selection and dosing
Contraindications, precautions, and adverse-event management
Documentation and consent best practices
Muscle Regions — Level 1
Shoulder girdle — upper trapezius, rotator cuff
Lumbar paraspinals
Gluteals and piriformis
Lower extremity — TFL, hamstrings, gastrocnemius/soleus
Upper extremity muscle groups
What's Provided
Pre-course materials so you arrive ready
Lab manual to keep and work from
Lunch both days
Who's teaching this
Not Visiting Instructors. Highbar Clinicians.
The same clinicians treating patients in Highbar clinics this week.
Every instructor is a practicing Highbar clinician: clinic directors, a regional director, and board-certified OCS clinicians who integrate dry needling into real caseloads. When they teach the "when," it's because they made that call on a patient days earlier.
Dr. Rob Gruttadauria
PT, DPT, OCS
Clinic Director, Providence, RI
Teaches Level 1 & 2
Dr. Andrew Horton
PT, DPT, OCS
Regional Director
Teaches Level 1 & 2
Dr. Nikolas Gervasio
PT, DPT, OCS
Clinic Director, Warwick, RI
Teaches Level 1 & 2
Dr. Jordan Madigan
PT, DPT, OCS
Clinic Director, Smithfield, RI
Teaches Level 1 & 2
Dr. Kara Casavant
PT, DPT, OCS
Clinic Director, Boylston, MA
Teaches Level 1
Dr. Andrew Horton
PT, DPT, OCS
Regional Director
Teaches Level 1
Dr. Will Hilton
PT, DPT, OCS
Physical Therapist, North Providence, RI
Teaches Level 1
Dr. Pat Motel
PT, DPT, OCS
Clinic Director, Dartmouth, MA
Teaches Level 1
Details & logistics
Everything Else You'd Want to Know
Format
In-person, 2-day weekend intensive
Duration
16 contact hours — 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM both days
CEU approval
APTA Massachusetts — recognized in all New England states (RI, MA, CT, VT, NH, ME)
Who can attend
Licensed physical therapists (PT only)
Location
Highbar Physical Therapy, Cranston RI · Joint Ventures Physical Therapy, Boston MA
Prerequisite
Active PT license in good standing. Level 2 also requires Level 1 completion.
What to bring
Comfortable clothing you can move and be needled in — participants needle each other during lab — your license documentation, and the consent form we send in advance.
What this costs — and what it costs Highbar clinicians
$950. Or Nothing at All.
If you work here, this course is already yours.
$950 covers the two days, your lab manual, and lunch both days, with Level 2 available for continued certification. For Highbar clinicians, it’s fully subsidized — not a discount, not a strikethrough price, just covered as part of the job. Dry needling, COMT, the residency, the whole catalog.
That’s what a teaching practice looks like from the inside, and it’s one of the more honest reasons to consider working at one.
How payment works
01
External PTs — $950 at registration, including lab manual and lunch both days.
02
Employer reimbursement — most outpatient ortho and sports rehab employers offer CEU stipends. We provide a detailed receipt and full course documentation.
03
Highbar clinicians — fully subsidized. Apply your employee code at checkout. How the code works →
04
Prospective hires — CE like this is part of the offer, not an add-on. See careers →
Do I need a special license to perform dry needling in RI or MA?
Both states permit licensed PTs to perform dry needling with appropriate training, and completing this course satisfies that training requirement. Always verify your state board’s current requirements.
What's the difference between Level 1 and Level 2?
Level 1 covers foundational technique across major muscle groups in the extremities and spine. Level 2 targets deeper spine and extremity musculature and adds advanced electrical stimulation techniques. Level 2 requires Level 1 completion. See Level 2 →
Is my employer likely to cover this?
Many outpatient orthopedic and sports rehab employers offer CEU stipends. We’ll provide a detailed receipt and course documentation for reimbursement.
What do I need to bring?
Comfortable clothing you can move and be needled in, your PT license documentation, and the consent form we send in advance.
Is this free for Highbar clinicians?
Yes — fully subsidized through your employee code, applied at checkout.
What makes Highbar's dry needling course different?
The instructors are practicing Highbar clinicians, not visiting faculty — so the course focuses on how and when to needle. You get pre-course work so you arrive ready, a lab manual to keep, and lunch both days.
Registration
Pick a Weekend. Needle on Monday.
Three upcoming cohorts across Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Small group format — spots are capped so everyone gets hands-on time.
- $950 includes your lab manual and lunch both days
- 16 APTA-approved contact hours, recognized in all six New England states
- Pre-course materials sent in advance so day one starts at full speed
- Full documentation provided for employer CEU reimbursement
Register
Includes your lab manual and lunch both days.
$950.00
✅ APTA MA approved
🔒 Secure registration
Course Reviews
What Participants Are Saying
5.0
★★★★★
2 course reviews
★★★★★
I had a great experience taking the Highbar dry needling course! The instructors were very knowledgeable and taught me how to safely and effectively perform dry needling. I have already begun using what I learned in the clinic and have seen multiple patients make big leaps forward in their care after needling. Highly recommend!
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