• The title “Registered Dietitian”, “Dietitian”  and “R.D.” are protected by law — through Newfoundland and Labrador provincial legislation — so that only active members who have met all registration requirements can use stated title.
• Throughout Canada, Dietitians who have met standards for education and training and who are members of a provincial regulatory body can use one of the following designations depending on your province’s provincial legislation — RD, PDt or RDt (or the French equivalent Dt.P.).
• A Dietitian is a health professional who has a Bachelor’s degree, specializing in foods and nutrition, as well as a period of practical training in a hospital or community setting. Many Dietitians further their knowledge by pursuing a Master’s or Doctoral degree.
• Dietitians are members of a provincially regulated profession that have Public Protection as their mandate. Dietitians are held accountable for their conduct and care they provide to the public.
• The term “Nutritionist” is not protected by law in most Canadian provinces, so individuals with different levels of training and knowledge can call themselves a “Nutritionist”. The title “Nutritionist” is protected for Dietitians in some provinces and you should contact your provincial regulatory body to ensure that you are receiving services from a Registered Dietitian.“Nutritionist” is NOT a protected title in Newfoundland and Labrador.
• A variety of titles have been used by unqualified people to describe their involvement in nutrition related practice. Many use the term “Registered” with a variation of “Nutrition” as a title. You should be careful to ensure that the person is a qualified nutrition professional. Please contact the Provincial Dietetic Regulatory Body in your province to confirm an individual’s registration.
• Typically dietitians working in a hospital or health care institution will have a job title that uses the term “Dietitian” and will focus on clinical care of the patient or manage the food service. Dietitians working in community settings will typically have a job title that uses “Nutritionist” and focus on healthy eating and wellness at various stages of the lifecycle.