Celebrating the "Power of Nutrition" and the Business of Becoming an RDN
Author: Christine Craig, MS, RDN, CDCES
Founder: Nutrition for Daily Living
This year’s National Nutrition Month’s theme is “Discover the Power of Nutrition.” Nutrition has the power to help individuals and communities thrive.
The nutrition profession offers diverse career pathways spanning clinical care, community health, education, research, industry, leadership, and private practice, allowing Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), also known as Registered Dietitians (RDs), to grow and evolve their careers over time.
RDs leverage “the power of nutrition” while delivering evidence-based medical nutrition therapy (MNT) across the diabetes care continuum.
Nutrition is both a challenge and an opportunity for individuals living with diabetes and can have direct impacts on health outcomes.
Dietitians, Certifications, and Job Opportunities
As of February 2026, more than 113,900 RDNs are credentialed in the United States.1 In 2025, just over 8,600 RDNs also held the Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) credential, representing approximately 45% of all CDCES professionals2. Employment for dietitians is projected to grow by 6%3. However, the field has recently seen a decline in new graduates, likely due to post-pandemic enrollment shifts and the 2024 transition to a required master’s degree4. Supervised practice hours and passing the national examination continue to be required. Despite these challenges, the RDN credential remains the gold standard for evidence-based nutrition practice and new career opportunities continue to evolve.
Dietitians in diabetes care practice in a wide range of settings, including hospitals and outpatient clinics, primary care and endocrinology offices, federally qualified health centers, public health programs, academia, digital health, industry, community-based organizations and more. Increasingly, entrepreneurship has also emerged as another pathway. Approximately 12% of RDNs in the United States are self-employed.5
ADCES recently launched an Entrepreneurship Community of Interest (COI) group, leaning into this growing career trend. For many dietitians, private practice offers an opportunity to meet an unmet need or specialization, schedule flexibility, and a space to design new programs and interventions.
Innovation Born From the Gaps In Access
Both the American Diabetes Association and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommend referral to MNT for individuals with diabetes, yet fewer than 10%6 receive these services. Barriers include limited access to RDNs within health systems, fragmented referral networks, and inconsistent insurance coverage for nutrition care.7 These gaps in access were a key motivator for my own entrepreneurial venture, reinforcing that many successful innovations are often driven by unmet needs.
In 2023, I founded Nutrition for Daily Living to help address access barriers within my own local community. Building a business required learning the business of nutrition including marketing, finances, legal requirements, and navigating insurance for MNT. What began as a part-time side hustle has now become a full-time practice, enabling me to work towards my goal of delivering personalized care while fostering long-term partnerships with clients. No matter your setting, innovation can start with awareness and creativity and when paired with courage, it can open doors to meaningful impact and success.
The Importance of Dietitians Within Diabetes Care
Dietitians in diabetes care play an important role in advancing our profession by bridging nutrition innovations, clinical care expertise, behavioral strategies, and collaboration with patients, communities, and care teams. With the increasing complexity of diabetes management, RDNs bring essential skills in leadership, problem-solving, and patient-centered care. Individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit, no matter the care setting, can pilot new approaches, identify unmet needs, and design new care models. As we celebrate National Nutrition Month together, let’s recognize the many important contributions RDNs provide in transforming diabetes care.
Christine Craig, MS, RDN, CDCES
Founder: Nutrition for Daily Living
References:
- Commission on Dietetic Registration, Registry Statistics. Downloaded on January 19th, 2026 from https://www.cdrnet.org/registry-statistics.
- CDCES statistical data. Downloaded on January 19th, 2026 from https://www.cbdce.org/reach-the-cdces-audience.
- Dietitians and Nutritionists, US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Downloaded on January 20th, 2026 from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dietitians-and-nutritionists.htm.
- Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist downloaded on January 20th, 2026 from https://www.eatright.org/become-an-rdn
- Dosedel, Erik. Compensation and Benefits Survey 2021. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2021;121:2314-2331. 10.1016/j.jand.2021.08.113.
- Alison B. Evert, Jackie L. Boucher, Marjorie Cypress, Stephanie A. Dunbar, Marion J. Franz, Elizabeth J. Mayer-Davis, Joshua J. Neumiller, Robin Nwankwo, Cassandra L. Verdi, Patti Urbanski, William S. Yancy; Nutrition Therapy Recommendations for the Management of Adults With Diabetes. Diabetes Care1 January 2014; 37 (Supplement_1): S120–S143. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc14-S120
- Moloney L, Rozga M, Steiber A, Handu D. The Effectiveness of Medical Nutrition Therapy in Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Disease: A Position Paper of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2026 Feb;126(2):156219.
Christine Craig Teaches the Nutrition Sessions on our Online Boot Camps & Conferences. Join Us!
Prepare for the CDCES Exam
Course credits through AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, ACPE, ANCC, and CDR!
Get exam-ready with confidence.
Our CDCES Boot Camp Online Prep Bundle is a comprehensive, high-impact program built specifically for healthcare professionals preparing for the Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) exam who want to level-up their clinical knowledge and skills.
✔ Learn at your pace with expert-led, exam-focused content
✔ Everything you need—organized, practical, and in one place
✔ Perfect for self-directed learners who want complete, person-centered content for clinical practice and exam prep.
✔ Build knowledge, sharpen test-taking skills, and prepare with confidence—on your schedule.
Focused. Flexible. Proven.
Basic & e-Deluxe CDCES Boot Camp Bundle Includes:
- Levels 1, 2, and 3 of our Online University
- 30+ expert-led courses
- 50 CE/CPEUs
- 400+ online practice questions
- Handouts, podcast, video and one year access—all in one streamlined platform.
Prepare for the BC-ADM Exam
Course credits through AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, ACPE, ANCC, and CDR!
Get exam-ready with confidence.
Our comprehensive BC-ADM Online Study Programs are specifically designed for healthcare professionals who are studying for the Board Certified in Advanced Diabetes Management (BC-ADM) exam.
✔ Learn at your pace with expert-led, exam-focused content
✔ Everything you need—organized, practical, and in one place
✔ Perfect for self-directed learners who want complete, person-centered content for clinical practice and exam prep.
✔ Build knowledge, sharpen test-taking skills, and prepare with confidence—on your schedule.
Focused. Flexible. Proven.
Basic & e-Deluxe BC-ADM Boot Camp Bundle include:
- Levels 2, 3, and 4 of our Online University
- 30+ expert-led courses
- 50 CE/CPEUs
- 400+ online practice questions
- Handouts, podcast, video and one year access—all in one streamlined platform.
Bridge Scholarships Now Open for
DiabetesEd Training Program
Applications Due July 20th, 2026
Are you a healthcare professional providing diabetes care in an under-resourced community? Are you working toward earning your certification in diabetes education (CDCES or BC-ADM?)
If yes, please consider applying for our Bridge Scholarship, which covers the registration cost for the DiabetesEd Training Conference in San Diego, Oct 22-23, 2026 (value of $559). This program will provide you with the content needed to prepare for mastery-level diabetes certification and beyond!
Recipients will be awarded the Training Conference reg fee, including the live program, printed syllabus, 30+ CE’s, plus access to the online bonus courses for one year! Applications Due on July 20th, 2026
Scholarship Goals
- To recognize U.S. healthcare professionals who are making a difference in under-resourced communities; and
- To support applicants’ efforts to become a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, CDCES, and
- To provide financial assistance for the DiabetesEd Specialist Course registration fee.
What's Included?
- Health care professionals who are working toward their CDCES and who provide care to an underserved community that lacks access to Diabetes Specialists and healthcare resources
- Applicants must be in the process of gaining practice hours to take the CDCES Exam within next 3 years.
- Preference is given to those facing financial hardships that are interfering with their ability to pursue their dream of achieving their CDCES.
- All applicants must be a U.S. resident.
Join us live in San Diego for our
DiabetesEd Training Program
Brand new agenda for 2026!
🌟Updated Schedule: ADA Boot Camp, Tech, MNT & More
Live in Beautiful San Diego – Oct 22-23, 2026
Re-Ignite your Passion & Prepare for Diabetes Certification Exams
🎓 Earn 30+ CEs: AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, ACPE, ANCC, and CDR!
📅
2-Day Conference
Oct 22–23, 2026
⏱️
15.5 Live CEs
+ 17 bonus CEs
🏅
CDCES & BC-ADM
Exam Prep + Renewal
📍
San Diego, CA
1.7 mi from airport
Advance Your Expertise and Prepare for Your Future
The field of diabetes care is expanding and evolving rapidly. This unique training conference will keep you on the cutting edge plus prepare you for certification exams. It also fulfills the Standards of Care renewal requirement. Join us for two days of intensive education that is fun and inspiring. Add on the optional Day 3 (Engaging the Disengaged), to complete your conference exeperience.
Day 1 – ADA/AACE Standards of Care Boot Camp
Coach Beverly and Diana Isaacs, PharmD, BC-ADM, CDCES co-lead an exciting day that brings the ADA and AACE Standards to life. Gain fresh insights, practical tools, and a deeper understanding of the latest in person-centered diabetes care. After attending, you will be empowered to share the latest in diabetes care with your colleagues and the people in your care.
Day 2 – Insulin, Tech, MNT and Case Studies
Take your knowledge to the next level with this intensive deep-dive into insulin therapy, dosing and pattern management with Dr. Diana Isaacs. Next, stay for the diabetes tech show-and-tell as Diana demonstrates the specs of the latest pumps and sensors. After lunch, nutrition whiz Christine Craig, MS, RDN, CDCES expertly details the latest in MNT and provides real strategies on translating this content to your clinical practice. You will have a chance to put it all together as Coach Beverly leads you through a series of case studies that integrates content from Day 1 and Day 2.
Add-On Day 3 – Engaging the Disengaged
On Saturday, join this exceptional day-long program led by William H. Polonsky, PhD, CDCES & Susan Guzman, PhD (Behavioral Diabetes Institute) that reveals psychosocial forces behind diabetes self-management — tools to break through resistance and inspire change.
Read more below
🌟Registration Options at a Glance
📜 Essentials
Registration
+ Printed Syllabus
$559.00
🌟 Deluxe
Essentials
+ ADA Standards Book
$589.00
🏆 Complete – Best Value!
Deluxe
+ ADCES Review Guide e-Book
$669.00
5 Reasons to Attend
- Led by national experts 👩⚕️Dr. Diana Isaacs (Cleveland Clinic), Coach Beverly 🧢 (30+ years of experience), and Christine Craig (nutrition whiz).
- 🌴 Location makes for a great vacation
- Networking, walking paths, connection
- Ready yourself for the diabetes future🚀
- Have fun, win prizes, play DiaBingo 😄
What's Included?
- 🍽️ Healthy breakfasts, lunch, refreshments and coffee ☕
- 📘 100-page printed syllabus
- 🎤 2 days of engaging, expert-led education with case studies.
- 🎓 12 FREE online courses ($375 value)
- Free MedPocketCard & Coach Bev’s Book 📗 Healing through Connection.
Add on a 3rd Day!
Enroll in
ENGAGING THE DISENGAGED
Strategies for Promoting Behavior Change in Diabetes
October 24, 2026
Transform how you engage patients with diabetes — master behavior change, reduce distress, and overcome medication hesitancy.
Why do so many patients know what they should do — but still struggle to do it?
The answer lies in the psychology of diabetes.
In this transformative full-day course, world-renowned experts William H. Polonsky, PhD, CDCES, and Susan Guzman, PhD, from the Behavioral Diabetes Institute reveal the hidden psychosocial forces that drive — or derail — diabetes self-management.
You’ll walk away with a completely new toolkit for breaking through patient resistance, dissolving medication hesitancy, and creating clinical encounters that actually inspire change!
