Dietrich qualified at the University of Georgia in 1982, practiced in Maryland until 1986; moved to the UK and founded an equine practice in Guildford in 1989. His acupuncture interest began in the US and he became certified through the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS) in 1998. He is a past President of the Association of British Veterinary Acupuncturists and continues as its Education Director; he also served on the IVAS Ed Committee and Board of Directors. Dietrich now has a referral acupuncture practice along with his teaching commitments. He conducted and published pioneering research in the thermographic monitoring of autonomic responses to acupuncture in horses with chronic pain syndromes and in needle electromyographic recordings of myofascial trigger points in horses (Acupunc in Med, & Vet Clinics of NA, Equine Practice). More recently he authored the papers “Electro-acupuncture for nerve injury in the horse” in Equine Vet Educ. 2014, and “Acupuncture for pain control” in Robinson’s Current Therapy in Equine Medicine, 7th ed., 2015.