A hearing aid specialist evaluates hearing loss utilizing specialized medical equipment and determines the best hearing aid fit for the client’s type, lifestyle and severity of hearing loss. Dispensing and fitting hearing aids also involves performing many adjustments and regular maintenance on people’s hearing aids.

"A hearing aid specialist is a licensed health care professional trained to conduct hearing evaluations, screen for conditions indicating the need for physician referral, identify common types of hearing loss, and provide solutions and counseling, including the use of hearing aids and other interventions," Sandra den Boer, editorial, public relations and sales director at the International Hearing Society, explains via email. "Hearing aid specialists may also provide services related to tinnitus management, hearing protection and hearing conservation." Tinnitus is hearing a ringing or other sound in the ears.

Studies have shown that people with hearing loss start isolating themselves because they don’t want to be in awkward social situations where they either can’t hear the conversation or only get snippets of it. "We get to bring back hearing to their lives. It is very rewarding to watch people hear again," says Aaron Toth, secretary and membership management for the Michigan Alliance of Hearing Care Professionals, an affiliate of the International Hearing Society.

But it’s not a one-size-fits-all business. A hearing aid manufacturer once told Toth there were more than 23,000 ways to build a hearing aid. And Toth says some specialists like to see their clients every six months for hearing aid maintenance. "You’re basically putting an electric circuit into 98 degrees of humidity," he explains, so they’ll require some cleaning and upkeep by a specialist.

"With the rising tide of Baby Boomers entering their 60s and 70s and research tying untreated hearing loss with dementia, the demand for more accessible hearing health care is exponentially growing," says Patrick Kochanowski, International Hearing Society president. "There are so many additional choices for hearing health care available on the market in recent years that consumers are more in need than ever before for information on how to best address their hearing loss."The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 14.5% employment growth for hearing aid specialists between 2022 and 2032. In that period, an estimated 1,500 jobs should open up.

There are two different on-ramps to becoming a hearing aid specialist. One way you can do this is by obtaining an academic degree in hearing instrument fitting and dispensing. However, there are only a few schools in North America offering this course of study. Alternatively, you can get on-the-job training along with a self-led distance learning course offered through the International Hearing Society. This distance learning program, coupled with the hands-on experience given by a mentor (or licensed hearing aid specialist), equips students with the knowledge and skills to meet state licensure requirements and practice as hearing aid specialists. Although all states have different licensure requirements for hearing aid specialists, the IHS administers the licensure exam for many of them.

"Most hearing aid specialists are trained through an apprenticeship model, while others may complete an associate’s degree program, and all must comply with state licensing requirements," explains den Boer.