Ponton Earns Doctorate of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

GREENVILLE, SC (September 8, 2010) - Dr. Marina Ponton, owner of Greenville Natural Health Center, has earned her Doctorate of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM) from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. The highest level of academic achievement presently available to acupuncture practitioners in the United States, the DOAM allows Ponton to participate in government and privately funded research projects and to teach at the university level.

Ponton was awarded her doctorate degree during a Sept. 3 ceremony in Portland, OR, and was selected by her peers to deliver the commencement address. Last June, Ponton was the only member of her doctorate class selected to attend a three-week study program at Chengdu University in China on integrating Chinese herbal formulas into Western treatments for endocrine disorders.

Ponton holds a Masters of Science in Traditional Oriental Medicine from The Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, having completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Miami. She has worked and lectured in the United States, Sweden, and Holland.

About Greenville Natural Health Center - Opened in 2007 by Dr. Marina Ponton, Greenville Natural Health Center specializes in health and wellness using natural health modalities, such as acupuncture, therapeutic massage and nutritional and herbal therapy. The center integrates biomedicine (Western medicine) with traditional Chinese medicine, using a holistic, mind-body approach to treat health issues such as chronic fatigue, chronic pain, menopause and infertility. Located on Laurens Road in Greenville, center hours are by appointment Monday through Friday. For more information, visit www.greenvillenaturalhealth.com.

Contributed by Kathy Vass