Hearing Aid Specialists are specially-trained licensed professionals who perform comprehensive hearing evaluations and treat hearing loss issues on a daily basis. They recommend, fit, and dispense hearing aids, and provide aural rehabilitation and counseling services to persons with hearing loss. These professionals specialize in addressing hearing loss with hearing aids and have vast knowledge of the human hearing system and the solutions available to treat hearing loss. They provide aural rehabilitation services which includes coaching patients on how to use their hearing aids, developing strategies for hearing well, and communication effectively in different settings and situations.
Though these professionals may be identified using a variety of similar terms (i.e. hearing instrument specialists, hearing aid dealers and fitters, hearing instrument practitioners), the U.S. federal government recognizes them in the Standard Occupational Classification System (SOC) as "hearing aid specialists."
These professionals have demonstrated their competency and knowledge by successfully meeting all state/provincial requirements to achieve licensing (or registration). There are two advanced designations for these professionals, Audioprothsologist (ACA) and Board Certification (BC-HIS).