Choosing a Hearing Specialist: Everything You Need to Know

Wondering how to find an authorized hearing care professional? Many hearing care professionals with various specialties, credentials, and titles are available to people with hearing loss. As a result, it can be challenging to figure out what kind of hearing care professional to see for your hearing loss or ear-related concerns. However, we can help! In this article, we’ll cover hearing care, hearing doctors, audiologists, and more.

A hearing specialist - also known as a hearing aid specialist - is a licensed hearing professional trained to fit, test, and sell hearing devices, including hearing aids. These hearing aid specialists can assist people with hearing loss and other hearing conditions find the appropriate hearing devices for their particular conditions.

Hearing aid specialists are required to pass an exam, testing their expertise and skills in order to meet specific state and local requirements before they’re able to receive or renew their license to practice. That being said, hearing aid specialists are not medical doctors and are not allowed to treat or diagnose hearing loss or any other hearing-related conditions.

A hearing instrument specialist is a professional licensed by the state that evaluates hearing loss and other conditions and helps choose and fit hearing aids for those with hearing loss and other related issues. Hearing instrument specialists are similar to audiologists in that they have the skills to find and choose the appropriate hearing instrument or solution based on an evaluation of someone’s hearing, as well as their budget and their lifestyle.

Hearing instrument specialists usually focus their attention on adults with common forms of hearing loss, such as noise-induced hearing loss and age-related hearing loss. Hearing loss in babies and other children is generally more complicated and typically requires an evaluation from an otolaryngologist or a pediatric audiologist.

There are many reasons to consult a hearing instrument specialist, also known as an HIS. For example, if you’re an adult and you experience changes to your hearing, or you need a hearing test, you should find and consult with a hearing instrument specialist.

If you’ve already received a diagnosis from an audiologist and want to see someone that specializes in hearing aids and other hearing instruments, then you should see a hearing instrument specialist. You might also want to see a hearing instrument specialist to maintain and program hearing aids and other hearing devices.

A hearing instrument specialist, also known as a hearing instrument dispenser, is required to have finished high school and have a two-year degree in many states. This kind of hearing care professional is trained to know everything about hearing device electronics and specifications, hearing assessment instrumentation, and programming hearing aids and other hearing devices.

They also need to pass a practical and written exam in order to receive a license from the state in which they wish to practice. In addition, they need to pass a national exam through the National Hearing Instrument Society to become a board-certified hearing instrument specialist, also known as a BC-HIS.

An audiologist is a healthcare professional with:

• a research-based doctorate, also known as a PhD
• a clinical doctorate, also known as an AuD
• or a master’s degree in audiology from an authorized university

Audiologists typically finish undergrad degrees in audiology, then attend graduate school to study hearing aids and other hearing devices, hearing loss and other hearing conditions, and the physiology and anatomy of the vestibular system ( the part of the inner ear that makes spatial orientation and balance possible). Moreover, a hearing audiologist goes through intense training and education in diagnostic testing to be able to measure, evaluate, and identify hearing loss and similar hearing conditions, including tinnitus and balance issues.

After training to understand the diagnostic and medical parts of hearing loss and other hearing issues, preferred hearing care audiologists go on to specialize in areas like pediatric audiology, cochlear implants, hearing aids, hearing conservation, or balance disorders. In addition, audiologists are state-licensed specialists that can guide people with hearing loss and related conditions through auditory rehabilitative therapies. They can also enable hearing loss patients to hear better through hearing devices like hearing aids.

Audiologists are permitted to dispense hearing aids and other hearing devices if licensed by their state to do so. This type of auditory specialist can also find and select hearing solutions for every patient, depending on the person’s lifestyle, budget, hearing loss, and style preference. They work in a variety of different settings, including hospitals, doctor’s offices, and hearing aid clinics.

We recommend consulting with an audiologist if:

• You’re considering buying hearing aids
• You need your current hearing aids to be programmed or maintained
• You have ringing in your ears, also known as tinnitus
• You or a loved one has noticed any changes in your hearing
• You have any concerns about changes in your child’s hearing
• You need programming and aftercare for bone-anchored hearing systems or cochlear implants you’re having difficulty with a current hearing aid
• You have age-related hearing loss
• You have difficulty hearing in crowds
• You have any difficulty hearing high-pitched noises or female or child voices
• You have an overproduction of earwax

One of the biggest differences between a hearing instrument specialist and an audiologist is that audiologists have advanced degrees and expert knowledge of all facets of hearing healthcare, including how to fit hearing devices for patients. On the other hand, hearing aid specialists are only required to complete a two-year degree or a high school degree, some formal training, and pass the state test for fitting and dispensing hearing devices.

For that reason, we recommend choosing a trusted audiologist rather than a hearing instrument specialist if you’re experiencing hearing loss or related hearing problems. That way, you know you’re in expert hands and can make sure you receive the highest level of care possible.

Choosing an audiologist can be daunting. Here are a few tips to help you find the right  audiologist for your needs:

• Ask for a referral. Getting a referral from a healthcare provider is one of the best ways to make sure you get the highest level of care. We recommend getting a referral for a trusted audiologist from your doctor, a family member, or a friend.
• Consider a business with a history. Audiologists that have been practicing for a long time are more likely to offer the highest level of care and service, having extensive experience under their belt and a long-time record of accountability to their patients. We recommend doing your research and checking out audiologist websites to make sure you choose the best audiologist for you.
• Read patient reviews. Of course,, you should always read patient reviews from other customers to make sure the audiologist you’re choosing is the right fit for you.
• Expect excellent service. Audiologists have years of experience helping patients just like you, so you should expect superior service no matter which audiologist you choose. They have expert knowledge and training to help diagnose and treat your condition and find the best hearing aid or another hearing device for you and your lifestyle.

If you want to learn more about how to choose the perfect hearing specialist for you, contact EarPros. We’d be happy to discuss the best hearing aids for you, our services, and how hearing care specialists can aid you on your journey to better hearing.