As discussed in a previous article (see Don Petersen's "Chiropractic's 'Good Ol' Boys" Are at It Again" in the May issue), the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) was at a crossroads ... immersed in a power struggle reminiscent of many previous elections. At this year's annual meetings of both the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards (FCLB) and the NBCE, the state licensing board delegates were presented with a choice: keep some of the old guard in place or infuse new blood into both organizations.
Results of the voting would decide the board membership and ultimately the direction of the NBCE. The board is comprised of five regional district directors, four "at-large" directors, and the president and vice president of the FCLB. Political lines were drawn months before the election. The deciding position came down to the FCLB vice presidential election. This is normally filled by a rotation of the treasurer, but this year was a highly contested event.
Ultimately, the FCLB delegates chose Keita Vanterpool, DC, as their new vice president. Dr. Vanterpool has been very involved in the FCLB for the past 11 years, serving as district III director and treasurer (the past two years). She also has the distinction of being the first African American female member of the NBCE board and only the third African American member in its 58-year history.
Dr. Vanterpool's election doubled the number of African American directors currently serving on the NBCE board. It also put her in a position to vote for two of the NBCE at-large positions. Her vote was also historic, as it brought the number of women on the NBCE board to four of the 11.
The current NBCE board is different from previous boards in a number of ways. As noted by NBCE CEO Norman Outz, DC: "I'm very excited about this board. The culture in the board room the last several years has been one of collaboration and commitment to NBCE. I'm proud of the many accomplishments of the NBCE and am looking forward to continued success."
Of note, looking at tenure, NBCE now has the youngest board since its inception:
In addition to being the testing agency for chiropractic licensing, the NBCE has the resources to help move the chiropractic profession forward, as it has with its recent funding of the airing of chiropractic's historic television commercial five times during this year's upcoming Tokyo Summer Olympics; and kickstarting a new Center for Collaborative Research for the chiropractic colleges at the RAND Center.
The FCLB and NBCE state licensing board delegates are to be commended for their decision to make history this year, rather than be influenced by political pressure. Clearly, the right people on the NBCE board can make a big difference in chiropractic's future.
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?
