February 2009

Dr. Nikitow wins 'DC of Year' award

Many doctors are infused with a passion for chiropractic but few get the opportunity to share that fervor with thousands of others around the globe. Dennis Nikitow, DC, is one of those few and for his continued dedication and contributions to the profession, the World Chiropractic Alliance has recognized him and honored him with its prestigious "Chiropractor of the Year" award.

Ironically, Dr. Nikitow started out with a disadvantage. He graduated from National College of Chiropractic, which didn't provide him with a grounding in the chiropractic philosophy that would ultimately guide his career and life. It wasn't until 1986 -- seven years after his graduation -- that he met James Sigafoose, DC, and finally learned the true meaning of chiropractic. It didn't take him long to apply what he learned to his own practice and soon he was generating 1,000 patient visits each week -- all on a cash basis.

One skill that set Nikitow apart was his ability to communicate the chiropractic message in a simple yet powerful way. Patients who had never come in contact with chiropractic quickly grasped how it could impact their lives.

Even more importantly, people who previously had heard about chiropractic finally "got it" thanks to Nikitow. This included patients, staff members and even other doctors.

"Dr. Nikitow has the uncanny ability to explain things so everything makes sense," says Terry A. Rondberg, DC, founder and CEO of the World Chiropractic Alliance. "We may already be familiar with the concepts, but when Dennis discusses them, they take on a new dimension and have a reality and power we hadn't noticed before."

Although his role as mentor and teacher keeps him busy, Nikitow continues to maintain one of the largest cash practices in the country.

"Practicing is what drives me to do what I do best," he says. "It stimulates me and motivates me to constantly improve my communication and practice strategies so that regardless of how things change around us I always feel connected to what really happens in practice."

After 30 years in practice, many DCs find themselves in a rut, unwilling or unable to adapt to new ideas or strategies. Yet, change isn't just inevitable for Nikitow, it's welcomed. He's always on the lookout for new ways to better help his patients and his profession. Most recently, this has meant support of research to support the principles and philosophy of neurologically based chiropractic -- to give certainty to DCs in their education to their patients.

He was recently introduced to the NeuroInfiniti technology which he believes will be the most influential piece of technology to substantiate the neurological affects of subluxation by providing evidence to the neuro/functional link.

"The NeuroInfiniti offers a technology to track nerve muscle memory, so when we are restoring spines back to their normal model, a patient can have more certainty about the process," he explains. "As we know, restoring the spinal model requires repetitive stimulus to the mirror image neuromuscular component. Since the subluxation is an efferent result of an aberrant CNS activity, the adjustment which is an afferent stimulus can be monitored by the NeuroInfiniti by the changes in the CNS and its efferent effect. This is a chiropractic breakthrough."

His motivation to get people to understand the truth about chiropractic and why it should be a part of everyone's health care, resulted in the development of a unique communication system, which he teaches at his Certainty Seminars as well as the development of some of the most sought-after educational materials in the profession.

These products and strategies profoundly reposition people's beliefs about chiropractic so they adopt it as part of their health care for their entire family. Nikitow has also developed numerous patient educational posters and pamphlets which are widely used throughout the profession because of how simply and accurately they reflect the philosophy and principles of chiropractic in a modern, practical way.

In addition to his countless articles, training CDs and DVDs on patient management, technique, staff training and practice enhancement, Nikitow continues to do seminars and speaking engagements around the world.

He has taught more than 30,000 chiropractors to achieve success by learning how to convey the philosophy and principles of chiropractic to their patients in a way that creates so much value they're willing to pay cash regardless of insurance reimbursement.

His concepts and educational resources such as "The Four Essentials of

Health," "Maintenance -- Problem -- Crisis," and "Forward Head Posture" have helped chiropractors educate millions of people. His poster on subluxation is the only one in the world which accurately reflects the philosophy of the progression of the subluxation, dis-ease and symptom as described by BJ Palmer.

Nikitow has helped chiropractors build some of the largest and most successful practices in the world using these concepts. He's constantly searching for and acquiring medical research and technologies that support subluxation-based chiropractic to add higher value, credibility and certainty to the profession.

"It is in recognition of his many professional contributions and his endless determination and energy to help chiropractors throughout the world acquire the 'certainty' they need to succeed that the World Chiropractic Alliance honors him as its 'Chiropractor of the Year,'" Rondberg noted.

To learn more about Dr. Dennis Nikitow and his products and seminars contact Certainty Practice Products at 800-544-3884 or certaintypracticeproducts.com.