Connecticut Hearing Aid Dispensing Requirements

The profession of hearing aid dispenser is regulated at the state level and each state maintains its own standards for licensure or registration.

Initial Licensure Requirements

• Have a high school graduate or a high school equivalency examination
• Have completed an approved education/training in hearing aid fitting and dispensing
• Have passed a written, oral and practical examination

Reciprocity

Whenever the department determines that another state or jurisdiction has requirements equivalent to or higher than those established in Connecticut and that such state or jurisdiction has a program equivalent to or stricter than the program for determining whether applicants are qualified to fit or sell hearing aids, the department may issue licenses, on payment of the license fee to applicants who hold current, unsuspended and unrevoked certificates or licenses to fit and sell hearing aids in such other state or jurisdiction. No such applicants for licensure shall be required to submit to or undergo a qualifying examination. No license shall be issued without examination to any applicant against whom professional disciplinary action is pending or who is the subject of an unresolved complaint.

Continuing Education

There are no requirements for continuing education in the law/regulations.

Audiologist Dispensing

An audiologist who is not licensed as a hearing instrument specialist must present satisfactory evidence to the commissioner that the audiologist has (1) completed at least six semester hours of coursework regarding the selection and fitting of hearing aids and eighty hours of supervised clinical experience with children and adults in the selection and fitting of hearing aids at an institution of higher education in a program accredited, at the time of the audiologist's completion of coursework and clinical experience, by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association or such successor organization as may be approved by the department, or (2) has satisfactorily passed the written section of the examination required by this section for licensure as a hearing instrument specialist.

Board Composition

The Department of Public Health makes final licensing decisions and takes disciplinary actions against people who violate licensing laws.

Facilities, Procedures and Instrumentation

• Each licensed hearing aid dealer and each person holding a temporary permit must comply with the following while testing for the fitting or sale of any hearing aid:
  • Test in a room which shall have a maximum ambient noise level of fifty-five (55) dBA slow scale; and
  • Employ audiometers which conform to the standards of the American National Standards Institute (hereinafter ANSI) approved by the department.
• Each licensed hearing aid dealer and each person holding a temporary permit must furnish to the department between September first and September thirtieth of each year a copy of the calibration certificate of each audiometer used during the preceding year. The calibration certificate shall bear the name and address of the calibrator and shall state that the calibration was done according to the requirements of the standards of ANSI approved by the department.
• Biological checks of audiometers must be accomplished at least once a month and records of such checks shall be maintained for at least three (3) years.
• The department may make random unannounced examinations or inspections of any audiometric facility.
• Testing by a licensed hearing aid dealer or each person holding a temporary permit for the purpose of fitting and selling hearing aids shall be conducted as follows:
• Pure tone testing for air conduction from 250 through 8000 Hz, with masking where appropriate;
• Pure tone testing for bone conduction from 250 through 4000 Hz, with masking where appropriate;
• Speech testing to determine the feasibility of the use of a hearing aid by means of formalized audiometry or by the use of a master or live hearing aid.

Trial Period

30 days from date of delivery.

Mail Order

Mail order dispensing is not addressed in the law/regulations.

Resources

The information contained herein was collected and summarized annually. For detailed information on hearing aid dispenser requirements, contact the state board and visit these websites:

Hearing Instrument Specialists Law

Hearing Aid Dealers Regulations [PDF]

Hearing Instrument Specialist Licensure [PDF]

Questions regarding this document? Call ASHA at 800-498-2071 and ask for the State Advocacy Team.