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Welcome to The Practice Brief, your weekly roundup of the news, trends, and ideas shaping the future of dermatology. Each edition highlights the biggest developments in practice management, reimbursement, policy, AI, business, and professional growth, while connecting them to existing Dermatology Times and NP/PA Connect coverage. The goal isn't just to keep you informed—it's to help you discover what's next, identify opportunities, and keep your practice performing at its best.

Dermatology Times Launches a Dedicated NP/PA Congress and Education Hub

Dermatology Times has debuted a new online platform, Dermatology Times NP/PA Connect, alongside a new multi-meeting congress series built specifically for NPs and PAs. The series opens with Derm Nexus, a 2-day CME congress scheduled for November 20-21, 2026, at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in Scottsdale, Arizona, organized around 4 pillars: inflammatory disease, cutaneous dermatology, professional development, and aesthetics.¹

Derm Nexus is chaired by Lauren Evans Miller, MPAS, PA-C, with an advisory board of TJ Chao, MPAS, PA-C; Tristan M. Hasbargen, MMS, PA-C; Francine Phillips, MPAS, PA-C; and Abby Sipe, MSN, APRN, FNP-C. Day 1 covers BTK, OX-40, JAK, and TYK signaling, the neuroimmune axis in prurigo nodularis and chronic spontaneous urticaria, and early recognition of hidradenitis suppurativa, closing with hands-on Mechanism Match and Whole Patient Blueprint labs. Day 2 covers systemic benefits of inflammatory control, GI and rheumatologic warning signs, and mental health screening for depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders in patients with skin disease, closing with Script Studio and Cytokine Heist activities produced in partnership with NewBeauty.¹

We're redefining what it means to be a complete clinician, because education and professional growth come from connection, and better care begins with all three. — Erik Lohrmann, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development, MJH Life Sciences

▶ Why it matters: This is the first installment in an ongoing NP/PA meeting series, with more congresses planned nationwide. Registration is open now through Physicians' Education Resource.

DCNP and CAQ-Derm Are Optional, but the Numbers Show Most NPs Skip Them

NPs and PAs delivered 27.4% of dermatology office visits in 2020, up from 15.5% in 2013, and account for 55.6% of dermatology providers in micropolitan areas and 87.8% in rural settings. Yet specialty certification remains rare and is not required to practice. As of July 2025, only 588 NPs nationwide held DCNP certification, and a 2024 workforce survey of 10,275 NPs found just 0.3% reported a dermatology specialty certification.²

DCNP requires 3000 hours of dermatology NP practice within the previous 3 years, APRN licensure, national certification, and a 175-question exam split across assessment/diagnosis (35%), prescribing/procedures (33%), and patient/professional education (24%); the passing score is 95, and certification runs $400 for 3 years. CAQ-Derm, introduced for PAs in 2023, requires 4000 hours of dermatology experience within 6 years, 75 category 1 dermatology CME credits, a physician attestation of skills, and a 120-question exam scored 200-800 with 350 to pass. More than 40% of PAs who earned CAQ-Derm reported a subsequent promotion, and about half reported or anticipated a pay increase.²

▶ Why it matters: Certification isn't required and hasn't been shown to change patient outcomes yet, but it can support promotion, pay, and formal recognition of dermatology-specific expertise.

Bedside Nurses Are an Untapped Line of Defense in Dermatologic Triage

Nursing education typically approaches skin through the integumentary system rather than dermatology, leaving most nurses with limited dermatology-specific training even though they routinely observe patients' skin, particularly in acute care. Kimberly Madison, DNP, founder of Mahogany Dermatology Nursing Education and Research, said stronger training in dermatologic terminology could help nurses move past vague descriptions like "red spots" and give providers more clinically useful documentation.³

Madison also pointed to nurse-led innovation as a model for closing access gaps, citing AfriDam AI, a triage platform built by Nigerian nurse Obey Ezekiel and trained on roughly 40,000 images representing diverse skin tones to flag potential skin conditions before referral to a dermatologist.³

No matter what setting you work in, particularly in the acute care setting, the skin is actually the nurse's job. — Kimberly Madison, DNP

▶ Why it matters: Better dermatologic documentation from front-line nursing staff can sharpen the information NPs and PAs receive before they ever see the patient.

Before You Refer for Hair Transplant, Rule Out Scarring Alopecia First

Hair transplantation has expanded well past male-pattern scalp restoration into eyebrow and beard restoration, procedures for women, and gender-affirming care, according to Paul Rose, MD, JD, of Golden State Dermatology. Not every patient with hair loss is a surgical candidate, and Rose stressed that scarring and inflammatory forms of alopecia, including frontal fibrosing alopecia in eyebrow-transplant candidates, may contraindicate surgery outright since transplantation can reactivate disease even when it appears inactive.⁴

Rose also flagged a common misconception: follicular unit extraction is not scarless, it just leaves small round scars instead of the linear scar left by the strip method. Recovery follows a predictable arc, with implanted hairs commonly shedding within the first weeks, new growth appearing at 3 to 4 months, substantial growth at 6 to 9 months, and final results around 12 to 14 months, so NPs and PAs can help patients avoid assuming the procedure failed too early.⁴

▶ Why it matters: Take a thorough history and consider a scalp biopsy before referral. Scarring alopecia is a common and easily missed contraindication.

Allergan Aesthetics Rewrites Its Loyalty Program Around Total Portfolio Volume

Allergan Aesthetics updated Allergan Partner Privileges with new Portfolio Levels that reward total purchasing volume across injectables, body contouring, plastic surgery, and skin care rather than single product categories, potentially letting practices reach higher discount tiers faster. Net pricing now displays at order entry, and practices can track their status and progress toward the next tier in real time. A new BOTOX Cosmetic Growth Benefit adds a quarterly rebate for practices hitting qualifying growth targets, on top of standard APP savings.

The refresh comes as GLP-1 use reshapes aesthetic practices. Allergan data presented at the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology meeting found practices saw roughly 137% growth in patients on GLP-1 agonists between 2023 and 2024, with 32% of those patients new to aesthetic care, even as 82% of providers cited cost as a barrier to treatment. Allergan said the changes respond to practices wanting “greater simplicity, more transparency and rewards” that match how their businesses grow.

▶ Why it matters: If your practice buys across multiple Allergan categories, your APP tier may climb faster under the new portfolio math.

References:

1. Bader K. Dermatology Times launches Derm Nexus congress for NPs and PAs. Dermatology Times. September 1, 2026. Accessed September 1, 2026. https://www.dermatologytimes.com/view/dermatology-times-launches-derm-nexus-congress-for-nps-and-pas
2. Heaning S. Dermatology certification for NPs and PAs: what to know about DCNP and CAQ-Derm. Dermatology Times. August 27, 2026. Accessed September 1, 2026. https://www.dermatologytimes.com/view/dermatology-certification-for-nps-and-pas-what-to-know-about-dcnp-and-caq-derm
3. Madison K, Heaning S. Closing dermatology education gaps for nurses. Dermatology Times. August 29, 2026. Accessed September 1, 2026. https://www.dermatologytimes.com/view/closing-dermatology-education-gaps-for-nurses
4. Rose P, Heaning S. What NPs and PAs should know about hair transplantation. Dermatology Times. August 28, 2026. Accessed September 1, 2026. https://www.dermatologytimes.com/view/what-nps-and-pas-should-know-about-hair-transplantation