Position Statement: Use of Titles and Credentials

Background

The Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, and the Massage Therapy Act, 1991, provide registrants with protection of title. In Ontario, the use of the title Massage Therapist, Registered Massage Therapist, the French equivalent and any variation or abbreviation is reserved for individuals registered with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO). Title protection as part of the regulation of a profession is one mechanism used to help the public readily identify individuals registered with the College. It is a privilege extended to those who have met the Massage Therapy entry to practice requirements and maintain their accountability to CMTO. The use of titles, designations or credentials that are inappropriate, unclear or inconsistent may undermine the purpose of the protected title by making it difficult for the public to determine whether a person is a regulated health professional. The advertising regulation made under the Massage Therapy Act sets out that an advertisement must not contain any term, title or designation that indicates or implies the registrant is a specialist in any aspect of Massage Therapy. This position statement further clarifies the use of titles and credentials by registrants in order that the public will be able to identify them as regulated health professionals. The intent of the position statement is also to guide the registrants in the use of titles in conjunction with their practice of the profession.

Position Statement

This position statement has been drafted to provide registrants with information on which titles, designations and credentials they may use.

1. Massage Therapists who have been issued a certificate of registration by CMTO are entitled to use the protected titles and trademarks that indicate their registration with the College. These are:
   • Massage Therapist: MT
     Massothérapeute
   • Registered Massage Therapist: RMT
     Massothérapeute Inscrit(e)
   • Massage Therapy
     Massothérapie
   • Therapeutic Massage
     Massage Thérapeutique

2. The College recommends the use of the protected title (RMT or MT) as a registrant’s primary means of indicating his or her professional status in Ontario in conjunction with their practice of the profession.
3. The College recommends that academic degrees or certificates from recognized universities, colleges and/or private vocational schools be used after and in conjunction with the registrant’s protected title.
4. The order of using protected titles and academic credentials should be consistent with the position of the registrant. If a registrant is working as a Massage Therapist, CMTO recommends that protected titles be used before academic credentials. If the registrant is working in an educational or other setting it may be more appropriate for them to use their academic credentials first.
5. The use of any other title, term or designation that indicates or implies the registrant is a specialist in any aspect of Massage Therapy is not permitted. Registrants may take courses focused on a specific modality that is not recognized as a specialty or as being in compliance with the Standard of Practice. Reference to these courses, or the title conferred by the completion of them, should not be used by the registrants. The public may misinterpret these other titles as specialized fields of knowledge with established professional standards of practice and licensing regulations.
6. People who are not registered with the College cannot use the protected titles. Section 7(1) of the Massage Therapy Act, 1991,forbids anyone who is not a registrant of the College from using the titles “Massage Therapist”, a variation, or abbreviation or an equivalent term in another language.

Approved by Council: May 12, 2006                          Updated: February 14, 2017