Functional Medicine · What Kind Of Doctor · Serving Summerfield
Functional Medicine for Summerfield, FL
"Is a functional medicine doctor the same as a naturopath?" is a fair question, because "functional medicine" is not a license. Anyone can put it on a sign: a nurse practitioner, a chiropractor, a health coach, a naturopath, or an MD. What matters is the license underneath the phrase and who is in the building when something needs a physician. Functional medicine near Summerfield, FL is an integrative medical practice: the integrative side is led by a board certified acupuncture physician with a biochemistry background and twenty-two years in The Villages, and medical oversight comes from a medical doctor at the same location. This page explains what each license can and cannot do, so you can judge any clinic, including this one. Fifteen to twenty minutes down 441.
Led by Dr. Christopher Cheshire, MS, AP, LAc, DOM, NCCAOM board certified, 22 years in The Villages. Medical oversight by Dr. Thomas Phipps, MD. Meet the providers
In short: Functional medicine doctor or naturopath? The license under the phrase, explained for Summerfield, FL. Acupuncture physician plus an MD, one location. "Is a functional medicine doctor the same as a naturopath?" is a fair question, because "functional medicine" is not a license.
The License Under The Phrase
Who practises functional medicine, and what each one can actually do.
Check the Florida license database for any clinic. The phrase on the door tells you nothing; the license tells you everything.
Naturopath
Florida does not license naturopathic doctors, so a naturopath practising here holds no state medical license, cannot prescribe, cannot order most tests through a lab, and has no scope defined by law. Some are thoughtful; none can oversee anything injectable. If a clinic's functional medicine is naturopathic, ask who the licensed clinician is.
Nurse practitioner or chiropractor
Most functional medicine clinics around The Villages are led by an APRN or a DC. Both are licensed. An APRN can prescribe within scope and often runs hormone, weight and IV programs; a DC's scope is musculoskeletal and cannot include injectables. Neither is a physician, and a page that says "doctor" for a DC or "medically supervised" for an APRN practice without naming an MD is worth a second look.
Acupuncture physician
In Florida, a licensed acupuncturist is designated an acupuncture physician, with a graduate degree, a state license and, here, national board certification. Scope includes acupuncture, dry needling, cupping, laser, point injections and nutritional and herbal recommendations. Dr. Cheshire additionally holds a biochemistry background, which is why NAD+ and peptide protocols are directed by him rather than by a sales script.
Medical doctor
Dr. Thomas Phipps, MD, provides medical oversight at this location for anything injectable or medically supervised, and is the reason a referral for a thyroid, a hormone problem or an undiagnosed condition happens the same week rather than being absorbed into a program. An MD on site is the single most useful thing to look for in a functional medicine clinic, and the rarest. Meet the providers.
What Functional Medicine Is Here
Three rules, five tools, and a list of what we are not.
We look at systems rather than isolated symptoms, we care about what is measurable, and we do not sell open-ended protocols. The typical patient is between sixty and eighty, active and frustrated, with afternoon energy collapse, slow recovery, unrestorative sleep or aches that move around, and every test within range. The tools: NAD+ for cellular energy, peptides for repair signalling, acupuncture for nervous system and inflammatory regulation, a short list of supplements, and laser and LED. Each with its evidence stated, including the thin parts. Full functional medicine page.
What we are not: an endocrinology practice, a hormone replacement clinic, or a seller of speculative mega-panels and twelve-month blocks. We will not tell you to stop a medication; that belongs to the physician who prescribed it, and we coordinate rather than override.
What To Expect
What happens at the first functional medicine visit for Summerfield patients?
A free consultation with the clinician, not a coordinator
Twenty minutes with Dr. Cheshire to decide whether there is something specific here worth pursuing. Bring the labs and the medication list.
The review
Sleep, medications, recovery, inflammation, the labs you have, and which one or two systems are most likely off. A referral if it belongs with a specialist.
A short, specific plan
One or two tools with defined courses, each priced in writing. Most of the work happens at home; visits are monthly or less, with early slots.
Checkpoints with the same two clinicians
Scored against your start. Continue, adjust, or stop. No call center, no nurse line in another state.
Cost and Insurance
How much does functional medicine cost for Summerfield patients, and what does insurance cover?
By tool
No consultation fee, no program fee, no membership. Each tool priced on its own before you agree to it.
Insurance
Generally not covered as a whole. Acupuncture visits are covered by many plans; NAD+, peptides, laser and supplements are self pay.
Medicare
Original Medicare covers acupuncture only for chronic low back pain and none of the rest Source: CMS National Coverage Determination 30.3.3. Some Advantage plans include acupuncture; we confirm yours.
The first 20 minute consultation is free and no referral is needed. Call 352-430-2720. For reference, consumer cost guides put a single acupuncture visit in the United States at roughly $50 to $150, and we quote your own course in writing at the free consultation. Source: Money.com guide to alternative medicine costs. Insurance and payment details.
Is This You, Summerfield?
We are the right door when:
- Energy dies by mid-afternoon, recovery takes days, sleep does not restore, or aches move around.
- Every test came back within range and nothing was done.
- You want a licensed clinician and an MD in the building.
- You want to know what a clinic does not do before you start.
- You want the same two people every visit.
A specialist, not us, for hormone management, thyroid disease, autoimmune conditions and anything that needs a diagnosis you do not yet have. The honest answer is the referral, and the MD on site is why it is quick.
Common Questions
What do Summerfield patients ask about functional medicine?
Patient Reviews
What patients say on Google.
Dr. Cheshire is rated 4.6 of 5 on Healthgrades from 11 patient ratings as of October 2026 (Healthgrades profile). The quotes above are from Google.
Getting Here From Summerfield
15–20 min door to door.
Head south on US 441 toward The Villages, then take County Road 466 west to Old Camp Road. Free parking right at the door.
Address910 Old Camp Road, Suite 162
The Villages, FL 32162
Phone352-430-2720
HoursMonday to Thursday, 7 AM to 3 PM
Friday, 7 AM to 12 PM
From Summerfield15–20 min. Ground floor, step-free entry, free parking. Directions
Summerfield patients find the drive straightforward, and parking is right at the door. Early appointments make it easy to fit care into your week.
Nearby Communities We Also See Patients From
Medically Reviewed
Checked by the doctors who treat you
This page was written and reviewed by Dr. Christopher Cheshire, MS, AP, LAc, DOM (NCCAOM board certified). Last reviewed September 2026. Content updated October 27, 2026. Serving Summerfield patients from The Villages.
Educational content only. Not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Results vary between patients and nothing here is a guarantee of outcome.
Further reading: NIH NCCIH: complementary, alternative or integrative health, what is in a name · MedlinePlus: fatigue.
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