Dietetic Technician, Registered (DTR)

A dietetic technician, registered (DTR) is a professional who is knowledgeable about food, nutrition , and diet therapy, which is the use of diet and nutrition in the treatment of diseases. A person seeking DTR credentials must complete a two-year associate's degree in an accredited dietetic technician (DT) program, a minimum of 450 hours of supervised practice experience (gained under the direction of an accredited DT program), and successfully complete the national registration examination for DTR.

The goal of a DTR is to provide safe and effective food and nutrition services to the public. DTRs work independently or with registered dietitians in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, food service operations, and public health. Thus, they may provide nutrition services to individuals, manage food service operations, or provide nutrition education.

SEE ALSO A MERICAN D IETETIC A SSOCIATION ; C AREERS IN D IETETICS .

Susan Himburg

Bibliography

Payne-Palacio, June, and Canter, Deborah D. (2000). The Profession of Dietetics: A Team Approach, 2nd edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Winterfeldt, Esther A.; Bogle, Margaret L.; and Ebro, Lea L. (1998). Dietetics: Practice and Future Trends. Gaitherburg, MD: Aspen.

Internet Resources

American Dietetic Association. "Careers in Dietetics." Available from <http://www.eatright.org/>

Florida Area Health Education Center. "Careers in Health." Available from <http://www.flahec.org/hlthcareers>