Dave Tam is the RMT Director and a practising Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) at Artemis Wellness Clinic at 5911 No. 3 Rd #130, Richmond BC — steps from Brighouse SkyTrain. He is regulated by the College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia and leads the clinic’s massage therapy team alongside his role as a co-director of the multidisciplinary practice. Book a session at artemis.janeapp.com or call 604-242-2233.
Credentials and Regulatory Standing
Dave Tam practises as a Registered Massage Therapist regulated by British Columbia’s amalgamated health professions college:
- RMT (Registered Massage Therapist) — qualified to assess and treat soft-tissue and musculoskeletal conditions, including post-injury rehabilitation, chronic pain, and ICBC active rehab cases
- Regulatory body: College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia (CHCPBC), which now governs RMT practice in the province
His RMT registration is publicly verifiable on the CHCPBC registrant directory. Working under a regulated college means treatment is delivered to a defined standard of care, with records, scope, and conduct accountable to the regulator — the same framework that supports ICBC and extended health insurance reimbursement.
Role at the Clinic: RMT Director and Practising Therapist
Dave wears two hats at Artemis Wellness Clinic. As RMT Director, he leads the registered massage therapy team and coordinates how RMT care fits into the broader multidisciplinary clinic. As a hands-on RMT, he continues to see his own patients on the treatment table — he has not stepped away from clinical work into a purely administrative role.
This combination matters for patients. The person setting the standard for RMT care delivery is also the person delivering it, which keeps the clinic’s massage therapy practice grounded in real treatment-room experience rather than removed from it.
Dave is also a co-director of the clinic together with his spouse, Mandy Tam (R.Ac, R.TCM.P), who leads the acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine side of the practice. The two-discipline founder team is one of the reasons Artemis was built as a coordinated multidisciplinary clinic from day one rather than a single-modality practice that later added services.
RMT Team Leadership
Under Dave’s direction, the Artemis RMT team currently includes:
- Dave Tam — RMT Director, hands-on practice
- Samuel Cabuay — Registered Massage Therapist
- Jonae Ablao — Registered Massage Therapist
As director, Dave is responsible for the standard of care across the team — intake quality, treatment planning, charting, and the way RMT cases coordinate with the clinic’s physiotherapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, and kinesiology providers. Patients booking with any RMT on the team receive care under the same clinical framework Dave has set.
For an overview of the broader team and disciplines under one roof, see our complete clinic overview.
Areas of Clinical Practice
Dave’s RMT practice covers the typical scope of registered massage therapy in British Columbia, with depth in several areas:
Musculoskeletal pain — back, neck, shoulders
Chronic and acute pain in the lumbar spine, cervical spine, and shoulder girdle. This is the largest category of cases an RMT sees, and most adult patients present with some combination of these. Treatment combines assessment, soft-tissue work, and home-care recommendations.
Post-injury and post-surgical rehabilitation
Soft-tissue rehabilitation following sports injuries, motor vehicle accidents, falls, and post-surgical recovery (where physician clearance permits massage therapy). Often coordinated with the in-house physiotherapy team for movement restoration and the kinesiology team for the active strengthening phase.
ICBC active rehab cases
Post-MVA (motor vehicle accident) treatment for soft-tissue injuries — whiplash, mid-back strain, headaches related to the accident, and the broader pattern of myofascial dysfunction that follows a collision. Artemis is a registered ICBC clinic with direct billing for RMT treatment under Enhanced Care; see our ICBC-approved clinic in Richmond BC guide for the mechanics.
Sport recovery and overuse injuries
Treatment for runners, recreational and competitive athletes — IT band tightness, plantar fascia tension, calf and hamstring strain, rotator cuff overuse, golfer’s and tennis elbow. Geared toward both acute episode recovery and sustainable return to training.
Stress-related muscular tension
The neck, shoulder, and jaw tension patterns common to desk workers, hybrid workers, and high-stress professional roles. RMT treatment is one of the more direct interventions for this presentation when paired with reasonable ergonomic and movement adjustments.
Techniques used
Within the RMT scope, Dave’s practice includes Swedish massage for general circulation and tension, deep tissue and trigger-point work for chronic muscular dysfunction, myofascial release for fascial restrictions, sports massage techniques for athletes, and cupping where clinically appropriate. Treatment selection is based on assessment findings and patient tolerance — not a fixed protocol.
For the broader scope of registered massage therapy at Artemis, see our registered massage therapy in Richmond guide.
The Multidisciplinary Advantage
What distinguishes Dave’s RMT practice — and the reason this model matters for patients — is integration with the rest of the clinic’s care under one roof. In practice this means:
When Dave assesses a patient with chronic lower back pain that has not responded to massage alone, he can refer in-house to physiotherapy for movement assessment and exercise prescription, to acupuncture for adjacent neuromuscular work, to chiropractic for joint-level intervention where appropriate, and to kinesiology for the active rehab phase that builds tolerance back up. The patient’s chart is shared across disciplines — see our coordinated 5-discipline care model explained for the operational detail.
This is materially different from a single-discipline RMT practice, where the only treatment option is more massage and any other care requires an external referral and a new patient relationship elsewhere. The integrated model serves both patients and Dave’s clinical thinking — he sees more of the trajectory of each patient’s recovery rather than only the soft-tissue snapshot.
What to Expect at Your First Visit
Plan for 60 minutes for an initial RMT consultation. The first portion is conversation and assessment: detailed history, the mechanism of any injury or onset of symptoms, current pain pattern, and a focused movement screen of the affected area. The remainder is your first treatment.
For most adult patients, the first treatment is a moderate-pressure session that allows Dave to feel how your tissue responds before adjusting depth or technique on subsequent visits. Patients who have a strong preference for either lighter relaxation work or deeper therapeutic pressure are welcome to discuss this at intake — there is no single “right” pressure for everyone.
You will leave with a working treatment plan, a recommended follow-up cadence (typically weekly to start for active cases, then tapered), and clarity on what realistic improvement looks like over the next 4 to 8 weeks. For ICBC cases, the cadence aligns with your ICBC active rehab plan.
Booking, Insurance, and Logistics
- Where: 5911 No. 3 Rd #130, Richmond, BC V6X 0K9, Canada — 2 minutes from Brighouse SkyTrain
- Phone: 604-242-2233
- Online booking: artemis.janeapp.com — select Registered Massage Therapy and Dave Tam
- Direct billing: ICBC, WorkSafeBC, Pacific Blue Cross, Sun Life, Manulife, Canada Life, Green Shield Canada
- No physician referral required — direct booking; some extended health plans require referral for reimbursement, check your plan
- Hours: weekday daytime, weekday evenings, Saturday daytime; Sunday limited
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dave Tam taking new patients?
Generally yes. Live availability is on artemis.janeapp.com. Wait time for a new-patient initial RMT appointment is typically 1 to 2 weeks during normal periods. If Dave’s calendar is full for the dates you need, the rest of the RMT team — Samuel Cabuay and Jonae Ablao — practises under the same clinical standard.
What is the difference between Swedish and deep tissue massage with Dave?
Swedish technique uses lighter, broader strokes aimed at general circulation and overall muscle tension — it tends to be more relaxing. Deep tissue uses slower, more focused pressure to address chronic muscular dysfunction, trigger points, and fascial restriction — it is more therapeutic and can produce next-day soreness similar to a workout. Most adult RMT cases use a blend; Dave will calibrate pressure to your tolerance and goals.
Does ICBC cover RMT treatment with Dave?
Yes. ICBC Enhanced Care includes pre-approved RMT treatment under active rehab benefits. Artemis is registered with ICBC for direct billing, so you do not pay out of pocket within your covered visit count. See our ICBC-approved clinic in Richmond BC guide for the specifics.
How often should I see an RMT?
For an active condition (post-injury, ICBC case, acute flare-up), weekly treatment for 4 to 6 weeks is typical, then tapering to every 2 to 3 weeks as the case stabilises. For maintenance and stress-related tension, every 3 to 4 weeks is a common cadence. Dave will recommend a frequency at your first visit based on your presentation rather than a one-size-fits-all schedule.
Will deep tissue work hurt?
“Hurt” is the wrong word — therapeutic deep tissue work produces a sensation that is often described as “good pain” or pressure that feels productive. It should never be sharp, lasting, or beyond what you have agreed to. Dave checks pressure throughout and will scale back any technique that does not feel right. Communicate during the session — that is part of how the treatment works.
Can I book Dave alongside a physiotherapist or acupuncturist in the same visit window?
Yes. Many patients book combined visits — for example a 60-minute RMT session with Dave followed by a 30-minute physiotherapy session, or paired with acupuncture for ICBC active rehab cases. Both practitioners share the same patient chart, so the second appointment builds on what was found in the first.
What languages does the Artemis team offer?
Dave conducts patient communication in English. Across the wider clinic team — including Mandy Tam on the acupuncture and TCM side and front-desk staff — Mandarin and Cantonese are also supported, and trilingual website materials cover Chinese and Punjabi audiences. See our complete clinic overview for the full team and language coverage.
Is RMT treatment covered by my extended health plan?
Almost always, yes. RMT is one of the most commonly covered paramedical services across Canadian extended health plans. Artemis direct-bills the major insurers listed above for most plans. Coverage limits, per-visit caps, and any referral requirements depend on your individual policy — check your benefits booklet or call the front desk and we can verify before your appointment.
Book a Session With Dave
To book an initial Registered Massage Therapy appointment with Dave Tam (RMT) at Artemis Wellness Clinic, 5911 No. 3 Rd #130, Richmond, BC V6X 0K9 (steps from Brighouse SkyTrain), visit artemis.janeapp.com or call 604-242-2233. ICBC direct billing available for active rehab cases. Most extended health plans direct-billed.
