Until 1994, Scandinavian students seeking a chiropractic education began with one year of basic science studies at Odense University.
But to pursue their chiropractic education, students had to bear the financial hardship of study abroad at a CCE accredited chiropractic college in England, Canada, or the United States.
Since Sept. of 1994, Odense University has offered its chiropractic students a three-year bachelor's degree. Last September, on the university's 30th anniversary, the Danish minister of education announced the establishment of a fully state-funded five-year chiropractic program leading to a master's degree in clinical biomechanics. The new Danish chiropractic program will accept 50 students a year; half of those students will be coming from the Nordic climes of Norway, Sweden, and Finland.
After completion of the five-year course, which includes a five month internship at a new specialized hospital for back pain patients, and completion of a one-year postgraduate course, the graduating DCs will be fully authorized to practice by the Danish health authorities.
"The new research-based chiropractic education at Odense University will strengthen the important co-operation between medical doctors, physiotherapists, and chiropractors, benefitting back pain sufferers," said Troels Gaard, DC, president of the Danish Chiropractors' Association.
Dr. Gaarde noted that Odense will play a prominent role in future spinal research and education because of the link between Odense University Hospital and the new back pain center where MDs, DCs, and PTs will work together. The Nordic Institute for Chiropractic and Clinical Biomechanics, where spinal research is ongoing, is located in Odense, which will further enhance the research environment.
About 300 chiropractors practice in Denmark, treating a quarter of a million patients a year our of a five million population. The chiropractic profession is legislated by the Danish government, which reimburses DCs about 20 percent on chiropractic treatment.
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
