Under the rules and regulations
of the Kentucky Board of Licensure and Certification for Dietitians and Nutritionists, all dietitians who want to work in Kentucky must become licensed. They must also become registered, a feat accomplished though the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Becoming a registered, licensed dietitian in Kentucky is a simple process, if you know the rules and regulations to which you must adhere. Here, we will talk about how you can become a registered, licensed dietitian in Kentucky.
Kentucky Dietitians Need Education and Experience
The CDR requires that all prospective registered dietitians complete an educational program that has been approved by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition & Dietetics (ACEND). While you may choose an ACEND-approved program from any state, the following are found in the state of Kentucky:
- DPD- Didactic Program in Dietetics: These types of programs lead to a bachelor’s or master’s degree, and only include coursework. In Kentucky, there are 4 DPDs as of August 2022. If you elect to take a DPD, you have to follow that up with a DI, or Dietetic Internship. This will provide you with at least 1000 hours of supervised practice experience. There are 4 DIs in Kentucky as of August 2022.
- CP-Coordinated Program in Dietetics: This type of program integrates coursework with a supervised practice program of 1000 hours or more. In Kentucky, there is one CP as of August 2022.
Kentucky Dietitians Must Pass the CDR Registered Examination for Dietitians
Kentucky’s Board and the CDR both require all prospective registered, licensed dietitians to succeed at passing the CDR’s Registration Examination for Dietitians. The Registration Examination for Dietitians Handbook for Candidates offers valuable information on the entire process. Pearson VUE, the testing center that handles the examination, will send you information to register online and have you pay the $200 testing fee. Test centers in Kentucky from which you may choose to take the exam are found in Lexington and Louisville, but you may also select centers in nearby Ohio, Tennessee or West Virginia.
Once you have finished taking the exam, you will know your test score immediately. The CDR will mail your registration card to you a few weeks after passing the exam.
Kentucky Dietitians Must Apply for State Licensure
With the test passed, you are now able to apply for licensure in Kentucky. You must complete the Application for Licensure/Certification found on the Board’s website. Be sure to check the box indicating that you are applying for dual certification as a RD (registered dietitian), LD (licensed dietitian) and CN (certified nutritionist). You must submit all required documentation and a fee of $50. Send it to the Kentucky Board of Licensure and Certification for Dietitians and Nutritionists, P.O. Box 1360, Frankfort, KY 40601.
Your dietetics license is renewable on October 31 each year. Renew your license online, and complete 15 continuing education hours during each licensure period. You must also follow the CDR’s mandates for continuing education to maintain registration with them.
Kentucky Dietitians Earn Competitive Salaries
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, circa May 2021, the 1010 nutritionists and dietitians working in Kentucky earn an annual mean wage of $57,950 and an annual median wage of $59,720. Dietitians working in various areas of the state make varying wages, as seen in the table below:
| Metro area | Employment | Annual mean wage | Annual median wage |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | 280 | $62,110 | $61,370 |
| Bowling Green | 50 | $56,840 | $60,110 |
| Lexington-Fayette | 170 | $61,160 | $60,110 |
| Owensboro | 30 | $58,430 | $60,110 |
| Central KY | 110 | $52,460 | $53,210 |
| East KY | 60 | $53,550 | $59,110 |
| South Central KY | 90 | $48,580 | $47,230 |
| West KY | 90 | $56,630 | $59,740 |
Kentucky Dietitians Have Many Employment Opportunities
If you search the classified ads for employment for registered, licensed dietitians in Kentucky, you will find many opportunities. A few of them, circa August 2022, are:
- Registered Dietitian- Martha Gregory & Associates, Inc., Louisville, KY
- Salary: $49,700 to $62,900 per year
- Bachelor’s degree required
- RD credential required
- LD licensure in Kentucky required
- Clinical Dietitian – US Veterans Health Administration, Louisville, KY
- Salary: $66,214 to $86,074 per year
- Bachelor’s degree required
- RD credential required
- LD licensure in Kentucky required
- A year of related experience required
- Registered Dietitian Consultant – University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
- Salary: $48,360 to $81,328 per year
- Bachelor’s degree required
- RD credential required
- LD licensure in Kentucky required
- A year of related experience required
- Associate Director of Food & Nutrition Services – Morrison Healthcare, Bowling Green, KY
- Salary: $70,000 to $75,000 per year
- Bachelor’s degree required
- RD credential preferred
- LD licensure in Kentucky preferred
- One to three years of experience in a hospital required
- Three to five years of foodservice operational management experience required
- Registered Dietitian, Bariatric– Pikeville Medical Center, Inc., Pikeville, KY
- Salary: $59,300 to $75,100 per year
- Bachelor’s degree required
- RD credential required
- LD licensure in Kentucky required
- A year of acute care experience preferred