Frequently Asked Questions

For more information about the cost of consultations, please schedule a discovery call. Insurance does not directly cover the cost of visits; however, Dr. Dunlap's team will provide you with a billing summary by request if you would like to submit for out-of-network reimbursement. Possible reimbursement and rates depend on your insurance benefits and plan. Please ask your insurance company directly about the potential for reimbursement.

Dr. Dunlap and other doctors at her clinic see patients in Portland, ME and virtually. The first step to becoming a patient is to schedule a FREE 15-min discovery call here.

Dr. Dunlap’s clinic can work with patients in-state and some out-of-state depending on where you are located. She is licensed in MA, ME, NH, OR, and CA. While she welcomes patients to her office for their 1st patient appointment when they can, your chosen doctor can conduct all care via the clinic’s face-to-face telemedicine platform. After the initial visit, visits are typically conducted virtually.

If you become a patient, Dr. Dunlap’s clinic can order blood tests/labs, imaging, diagnose, and prescribe natural and pharmaceutical medications (when necessary) similar to any doctor.

Yes! This requires that you establish care with her (or other Doctors within her clinic). Dr. Dunlap’s clinic is currently accepting patients who live in MA, ME, CA, OR, and NH. Get the details by booking a free consult.

Dr. Dunlap practices evidence-based naturopathic medicine. Treatments may include nutrition, targeted vitamins, botanicals, amino acid therapy, detoxification, and lifestyle recommendations. She has prescribing rights for patients residing in several states that also allow for the use of medications and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. The goal is always to use the least invasive and most effective therapies that are customized for you.

Naturopathic by Design™ is intentionally structured as a signature program, following a framework that allows me to be the best doctors for you. From a research perspective, regular follow-up visits are the only way to achieve the level of care that will truly transform your health. Customized maintenance care plans are available after the initial length of care.

It is important to keep in mind that not all products hold the same equality standards, no matter what the packaging or label may claim. Those of us in the health industry know that there is a huge variation in what is made available to consumers.

Although The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires companies to verify their products are safe and properly labeled, it does not have a strict approval process in place. This does not mean that all supplements are bad or ineffective because there aren’t stringent FDA requirements.

Licensed practitioners who use nutritional and botanical therapies from premium suppliers and manufacturers can attest to the quality assurance practices we trust and rely on. Such practices include scientifically validated laboratory testing, ongoing third party verification of quality, purity, and accurate labeling, raw and finished product testing for heavy metals, solvents, pesticides, and common allergens.

Dr. Dunlap believes that dietary and herbal supplements (although not a replacement for healthy lifestyle and diet) can be an integral part of a good health regimen, but they must be correctly prescribed and of the highest quality and purity in order to serve their purpose. She adheres to stringent quality standards when selecting supplements for sale.

If you become a patient at Dr. Dunlap’s clinic, your doctor will make very specific recommendations as part of your treatment plan. You can also shop Dr. Dunlap’s favorites by visiting her online medicinary here.

As a patient, you should know that the terms “naturopathic doctor”, “naturopathic physician” and “naturopath” are often used interchangeably by medical practitioners in other disciplines and the public, even though unlicensed naturopaths do not have the same training or privileges. Knowing the difference between licensed naturopathic doctors and unlicensed naturopaths can help you make informed decisions about which type of provider can best help you.

Dr. Dunlap is a licensed naturopathic doctor, also referred to as a naturopathic physician. Naturopathic doctors are regulated at the state level to practice naturopathic medicine. Naturopathic medical students attend accredited, four-year, in-residence, naturopathic medical schools where they study biomedical sciences such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, and pharmacology. Their medical education incorporates the latest advances in science and natural approaches to illness prevention and management. Students complete a minimum of 4,100 hours of class and clinical training, including over 1,200 hours of hands-on, supervised, clinical training.

Naturopathic doctors can order diagnostic tests such as blood tests, X-rays, MRIs, and, in some states, prescribe prescription drugs and hormones and perform minor surgery. According to the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges (AANMC) 2015 survey of alumni, 50 percent of naturopathic doctors practicing full-time self-report as primary care physicians, while 28 percent report working as natural health specialists. In addition, like conventional medical doctors (MDs), a growing number of naturopathic doctors choose to focus their practices in specialty areas. Specialty associations currently exist for Endocrinology, Environmental Medicine, Gastroenterology, Intravenous Therapies, Pediatrics, Primary Care Medicine, and Oncology.

A naturopathic doctor must pass rigorous professional board exams prior to being licensed in a state that regulates the practice of naturopathic medicine. State mandated regulatory bodies oversee standards of practice, complaints, and discipline for all licensed jurisdictions. Licensed naturopathic doctors also carry malpractice insurance and maintain a commitment to lifelong learning through continuing education. These requirements are safeguards to ensure patients’ rights to quality naturopathic care.

The most important criteria in selecting a naturopathic doctor are that the doctor 1) has a naturopathic medical degree earned from an accredited, four-year, in-residence, naturopathic medical college and 2) has passed rigorous board exams as part of a licensure or certification process.

There are currently seven accredited naturopathic medical programs in North America. They are: Bastyr University, National University of Natural Medicine, National University of Health Sciences, Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, University of Bridgeport—College of Naturopathic Medicine, Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, and Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine.

Twenty-three states and U.S. territories permit access to safe, effective, and affordable licensed or certified naturopathic doctors. These include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands. For a map of regulated states and states seeking licensure, click here.

The exam required to qualify for naturopathic doctor licensure is administered by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE). The Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations (NPLEX) is a two-part examination. Only students and graduates from accredited or candidate naturopathic programs are eligible to sit for the NPLEX.

In some states with laws regulating naturopathic doctors, the use of the term “naturopath” or “naturopathic physician” by anyone other than a licensed naturopathic doctor is prohibited. However, not all states regulate naturopathic doctors and not all states that do protect the term “naturopath.”

Therefore, unlicensed naturopaths can have varied levels of education and experience, often from a purely online or correspondence format. Such education is not accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and does not qualify students to take the NPLEX examination or apply for licensure in any regulated jurisdiction in North America.

She earned her Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and Master of Science in Integrative Medicine Research from the National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) in Portland, OR. Before NUNM, she got her B.A. from Smith College with an emphasis in Medical Anthropology and International Relations. After receiving her degrees as a board-certified naturopathic doctor and medical researcher, she completed a 2-year accredited women’s health residency with rotations in gynecology, general endocrinology, and reproductive endocrinology. On the research side of things, she completed a 2-year postdoctoral research fellowship, followed by a research and adjunctive faculty placement at the School of Research & Graduate Studies at Helfgott Research Institute and NUNM.

NUNM is an accredited naturopathic medical school which is a four-year, in-residence, hands-on medical program consisting of a minimum of 4,100 hours of class and clinical training. During naturopathic medical school, she was educated in the biomedical sciences as well as the latest advances in science in combination with natural approaches to therapy. She studied disease prevention and clinical techniques.

The general educational structure for naturopathic doctors is comparable to that of conventional medical doctors (MDs) and osteopathic doctors (DOs). In all three medical programs, the first year emphasizes biomedical sciences such as anatomy and biochemistry. Second year classes focus on the diagnostic sciences, including areas such as evidence-based medicine and physiological assessment. All programs progressively increase students’ problem-based learning and integrated coursework, enabling students to learn how different concepts affect one another.

The following accrediting institutions provide accreditation services for naturopathic medical schools:

College accreditation is issued by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). All AANMC member schools have been accredited or are in candidate status for accreditation by an ED-approved regional accrediting agency.

Programmatic accreditation is issued by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME). All AANMC member schools have also been accredited—or are candidates for accreditation—by the CNME, the recognized accrediting body for naturopathic medical programs in North America.

The exam required to qualify for naturopathic doctor licensure is administered by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE). The Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations (NPLEX) is a two-part examination. Only students and graduates from accredited or candidate naturopathic programs are eligible to sit for the NPLEX. Passing the NPLEX is required before a doctor of naturopathic medicine can be licensed by a state.

Licensure and certification are the highest forms of regulation. They are designed to protect the public by ensuring that certain minimum competency requirements are met. They also set standards for the profession.

In the United States: 26 jurisdictions, including the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands all have laws regulating naturopathic doctors.