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Level 1 • Online home study

Build your dry needling foundation— on your schedule.

Work through the same Level 1 clinical foundation in a guided, self-paced format—with permanent course access, practical demonstrations and feedback on your submitted technique videos.

27

CE hours

  • Self-paced

  • Lifetime course access

Dry Needling Level 1

Online • self-paced • 27 CE hours

$895

$695

Use promo code INTRODN at checkout

  • Permanent access to course materials

  • Streaming technique demonstrations

  • Instructor review of practice videos

  • Course manual and presentations

Confirm home-study acceptance with your licensing board before purchasing.

Before enrolling: Some states require in-person dry needling education. This course is for licensed healthcare professionals whose scope of practice includes dry needling. Always verify your board's requirements.

More than watching videos

Clinical education designed to become usable skill.

Level 1 introduces the history, physiology and clinical application of dry needling, then moves region by region through anatomy, safety, needle insertion and tissue-specific technique.

The curriculum is organized around three MDN foundations: myofascial pain and trigger points, the autonomic nervous system, and Total Motion Release. The goal is not simply to memorize where needles go—it is to understand what you are feeling, why you are treating and how to make sound clinical decisions.

01

Myofascial pain & trigger points

Understand tissue behavior, palpation and clinically appropriate applications.

02

Autonomic nervous system

Explore physiological responses and neural-therapy concepts within the MDN framework.

03

Total Motion Release

Use whole-body assessment and the seven-step process to guide treatment decisions.

How home study works

Learn it. Practice it. Show it. Improve it.

You move at your own pace, but you are not left alone to guess whether your technique is correct.

01

Learn each region

Use the manual, presentations, anatomy resources and streaming demonstrations.

02

Practice with a partner

Arrange a willing lab partner and complete the demonstrated techniques safely.

03

Submit your technique

Record the required practice videos so an instructor can review your performance.

04

Receive feedback

Use instructor guidance to correct details, reinforce safe habits and complete testing.

What you receive

Everything stays available when the course is over.

  • Digital course manual

    Reference material you can revisit throughout the program.

  • Streaming demonstrations

    Review regions and techniques as often as needed.

  • Instructor feedback

    Guidance on submitted practice videos—not just a pass/fail video library.

  • CE documentation

    Complete the required coursework and testing for 27 home-study hours.

THE MDN DIFFERENCE

“We're here to make you better—not impress you with how good we are.”

The MDN faculty brings decades of clinical and teaching experience, but the measure of success is whether you can understand the material and apply it responsibly.

27-hour curriculum

A whole-body Level 1 foundation.

The full agenda is grouped here so you can quickly understand the progression from safety and tissue fundamentals to region-specific practice and clinical reasoning.

4 hours

Foundations & safety

History, clinical application, contraindications, needle handling, blood-borne pathogens and serious adverse effects.

4 hours

Needle palpation & tissue techniques

Muscle belly, musculotendinous, tendon, tenoperiosteal, ligament and scar applications.

4 hours

Upper extremity & shoulder

Guided anatomy, palpation and technique across commonly treated upper-quarter regions.

5 hours

Hip & lower extremity

Clinical instruction for the hip, thigh and lower-leg regions, with patient-centered demonstrations.

5 hours

Spine & trunk

Multifidus, paraspinals, quadratus lumborum and safety around the lung, kidney and abdominal regions.

3 hours

The MDN clinical system

The seven-step process, TMR and neural-therapy concepts, informed consent and post-course testing.

Course outcomes

What you should be able to do after Level 1.

Completion requires active study, hands-on practice, technique demonstration and post-course testing.

  • Explain dry needling history, physiology and clinical applications

  • Identify muscle, tendon, ligament, scar and periosteal tissues

  • Select safe needle depth, angle and technique for each region

  • Recognize contraindications, precautions and adverse effects

  • Use needle palpation to distinguish normal and abnormal tissue

  • Apply the MDN seven-step process to clinical decision-making

  • Demonstrate techniques through guided practice-video review

  • Integrate TMR and neural-therapy concepts where appropriate

Read before purchasing

Make sure this format fits your license and state.

Master Dry Needling provides education; your licensing board determines whether dry needling is within your scope and whether home-study hours satisfy training or renewal requirements.

Course requirements

  • Active professional license

    Dry needling must be included within your applicable scope of practice.

  • Board verification

    Confirm that your state accepts home-study dry needling education before enrolling.

  • Your own willing lab partner

    You are responsible for arranging appropriate partners for practical assignments.

  • Your own supplies and anatomy app

    Supply links and suggested 3-D anatomy resources are provided after enrollment.

  • A pregnant person may not participate as the learner or lab partner because practical needling is required.

Start when you're ready

Turn self-paced study into confident clinical skill.

Enroll in Level 1 for $895 and use code INTRODN for the current $200 discount.

Practical dry needling education for clinicians who want to think clearly, treat confidently and keep learning.

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