Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, and Hearing Aid Dispensing Practices

Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, and Hearing Aid Dispensing Practices: Overview

The board licenses and regulates speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and hearing aid dispensers.

• • • A speech-language pathologist is a professional who engages in clinical services, prevention, advocacy, education, administration, and research in the areas of communication across the life span from infancy through geriatrics. Speech-language pathologists address typical and atypical impairments and disorders related to communication in the areas of speech sound production, resonance, voice, fluency, language (comprehension and expression), cognition, and feeding and swallowing.
    • An audiologist is a person who, by virtue of academic degree, clinical training, and license to practice and/or professional credential, is uniquely qualified to provide a comprehensive array of professional services related to the prevention of hearing loss and the audiologic identification, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of persons with impairment of auditory and vestibular function, and to the prevention of impairments associated with them.
    • Hearing aid dispensers are qualified professionals who provide services including the testing of hearing in relation to the fitting, adjusting, and servicing of hearing devices and assistive listening technology. They provide ongoing counseling and care for the users of hearing technology to ensure efficacy in managing the effects of hearing loss.