Registered Dietitian Business Cards for RD RDN CDN Nutrition Professionals

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) — the credential recognized by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) as the credential for qualified food and nutrition practitioners — are the health professionals who translate nutritional science into practical, individualized recommendations for patients and clients across the health and wellness spectrum: from intensive medical nutrition therapy (MNT) in clinical hospital settings, to evidence-based eating disorder treatment in outpatient programs, to sports performance nutrition for collegiate and professional athletes, to functional nutrition and wellness coaching in direct-to-consumer private practice.

What RDN Cards Include

Your Credentials and Certifications

Core RDN credential:

• RD (Registered Dietitian) — the original CDR (Commission on Dietetic Registration) credential; requires completion of an accredited dietetics education program (ACEND-accredited DPD program or integrated BS/MS program) + supervised practice (1,200-hour ACEND-accredited internship) + passing the CDR Registration Examination for Dietitians; "RD" after name
• RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist) — CDR added "Nutritionist" to the credential designation in 2013 to better reflect scope; "RD" and "RDN" are equivalent credentials; practitioners can choose either designation; "RDN" is increasingly standard for new and recently licensed dietitians
• NDTR (Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, Registered) — the CDR credential for dietetic technicians; associate's degree + supervised practice + passing NDTR exam; not an RDN equivalent but a separate credential level

Academic degrees:

• B.S. in Dietetics / Nutritional Sciences / Food Science / Nutrition — traditional entry-level; ACEND-accredited DPD program
• M.S. in Dietetics / Nutrition / Nutritional Sciences / Clinical Nutrition / Sports Nutrition — recommended for many specialty areas; increasingly required for competitive positions; M.S. with dietetic internship embedded
• DI (Dietetic Internship) — the required supervised practice component; 1,200 hours minimum; many dietetic internships are competitive and matched through a centralized matching system (similar to medical residency matching)
• MS/DI combined programs — integrated master's + dietetic internship programs are the new standard for many programs
• MSDI (Master of Science with Dietetic Internship) — the integrated format
• Ph.D. in Nutrition / Nutritional Sciences / Dietetics — research and academic roles

State licensure (varies widely):

• 47 states + D.C. require state licensure or certification for dietitians practicing dietetics
• "CDN (Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist)" — New York state credential
• "LD (Licensed Dietitian)" — many states
• "LDN (Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist)" — some states
• State license number may need to appear on professional materials

CDR Specialty Certifications (Board Certified Specialists):

• CSSD (Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics) — CDR; the premier sports nutrition credential; requires RD/RDN + 2 years sports dietetics practice + passing the CSSD exam; "CSSD" after name is the gold standard for sports nutrition
• CSOP (Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition) — CDR; oncology dietetics specialty
• CSRD (Certified Specialist in Renal Dietetics) — CDR; kidney/renal disease nutrition
• CSOWM (Certified Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management) — CDR; weight management specialty
• CSPH (Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition) — CDR; pediatric nutrition specialty
• CSGN (Certified Specialist in Gerontological Nutrition) — CDR; geriatric nutrition

CEDRD-S (Certified Eating Disorders Registered Dietitian-Supervisor):

• CEDRD (Certified Eating Disorders Registered Dietitian) — IAEDP; the specialty credential for eating disorders treatment; requires RDN + eating disorders-specific experience + CEUs + peer review + exam; "CEDRD" signals specialized eating disorder expertise
• CEDRD-S — supervisor-level CEDRD; for clinicians who supervise others in eating disorders treatment

Functional nutrition:

• IFNCP (Integrative and Functional Nutrition Certified Practitioner) — IFNA (Integrative and Functional Nutrition Academy); for functional and integrative nutrition focus
• Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor — Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch training
• MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) teacher — for mindful eating focus

HAES (Health At Every Size) aligned:

• "HAES-aligned" is not a formal credential but a clinical practice philosophy signal increasingly used by RDNs to signal non-diet, weight-neutral, anti-diet culture approach; appears in marketing and on some cards for specific audience alignment

Other credentials:

• NBC-HWC (National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach) — NBHWC; for coaching focus
• CLT (Certified LEAP Therapist) — Signet Immunosystem; food sensitivity and LEAP protocol
• GAPS practitioner trained — gut and psychology syndrome protocol
• FODMAPs trained — Monash University trained; IBS and low FODMAP protocol

Your RDN Specialties

Clinical nutrition:

• Critical care and ICU nutrition
• Enteral and parenteral nutrition (tube feeding, IV nutrition)
• Wound care nutrition
• Pre- and post-surgical nutrition
• Cancer nutrition (oncology) — CSOP
• Renal / kidney disease — CSRD
• Diabetes management and MNT (Medical Nutrition Therapy for diabetes)
• Cardiovascular disease and heart healthy eating
• Liver disease and hepatic nutrition
• Celiac disease and gluten-free
• Food allergy management

Eating disorders:

• Anorexia nervosa treatment team integration
• Bulimia nervosa counseling
• Binge eating disorder
• ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder)
• Orthorexia and other disordered eating patterns
• Weight restoration nutrition
• Meal support
• Family-Based Treatment (FBT / Maudsley) co-therapist role
• Partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient eating disorder programs

Sports and performance nutrition:

• NCAA athlete fueling
• Marathon and endurance athlete nutrition
• Strength and power athlete fueling
• Body composition and weight management for athletes
• Supplement safety review for athletes
• Hydration and electrolyte management
• Sports nutrition for youth athletes
• Military and tactical performance nutrition

Pediatric nutrition:

• Infant nutrition and breast/bottle feeding support
• Childhood feeding disorders (ARFID, picky eating)
• Pediatric growth and development
• Pediatric obesity management
• Pediatric food allergies
• Tube feeding (pediatric enteral nutrition)
• Sports nutrition for teen athletes

Women's health and reproductive nutrition:

• Prenatal nutrition
• Breastfeeding and lactation nutrition support
• PCOS and hormonal nutrition
• Fertility nutrition
• Postpartum nutrition
• Menopause nutrition

Gut health and GI:

• IBS (FODMAP protocol)
• IBD (Crohn's, UC) nutrition management
• SIBO nutritional management
• Microbiome-focused nutrition
• Digestive enzyme and gut health

Functional and integrative nutrition:

• Functional nutrition assessment
• Anti-inflammatory diets
• Food sensitivity protocols (elimination, LEAP)
• Nutrigenomics
• Mindful eating and intuitive eating

Design for RDNs

Science, Wellness, Nourishment, Trust

RDN card design:

• Evidence-based clinical nutrition authority
• Warm, approachable, and wellness-oriented
• Plant and food visual language

Color palette:

• Green + white: nourishment and plant-based
• Warm terracotta + cream: whole food warmth
• Teal + white: clinical and wellness
• Soft yellow + white: light and energy

Back of Card

1. "Registered Dietitian Nutritionist | RDN | CDR | CSSD / CSOP / CSOWM / CEDRD (if)"
2. "[Specialty: Sports nutrition | Eating disorders | Clinical | Pediatric | Gut health | Functional]"
3. "MNT | Intuitive eating | Sports nutrition | Eating disorder treatment | FODMAP | Functional nutrition"
4. "[Practice / Hospital / Team name] | [City] | [Telehealth availability]"
5. "[Phone] | [email] | [booking link] | [Instagram]"

Checklist

• [ ] RDN (primary credential — never omit)
• [ ] CSSD (sports dietetics — very high value for sports nutrition)
• [ ] CSOP (oncology — for cancer center dietitians)
• [ ] CSRD (renal — for kidney disease dietitians)
• [ ] CSOWM (obesity/weight management)
• [ ] CSPH (pediatric — for pediatric dietitians)
• [ ] CEDRD (eating disorders — the essential eating disorder RD credential)
• [ ] IFNCP (functional nutrition)
• [ ] Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor
• [ ] NBC-HWC (health coaching)
• [ ] State licensure (CDN, LD, LDN — state-specific)
• [ ] Specialty (sports, eating disorders, clinical, pediatric, gut health, functional)
• [ ] Setting (hospital, outpatient, private practice, sports team, school)
• [ ] Telehealth (many RDNs offer virtual sessions)
• [ ] Instagram (growing marketing channel for nutrition professionals)
• [ ] Booking link (easier conversion for private practice)