Difference bet. DMD, DDS, DMD-pHD

Started by rupkaur
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rupkaur

Junior Member
15+ Year Member
Hey guys,
thanks for answering my previous questions. I m thinking that general dentist has DMD degree, while specialities like oral surgeon has DDS and researchers in dentistry has DMD-pHD degree. Am i right? I m choosing schools to apply and m thinking about becoming oral surgeon so far. So, I want schools who offer these specialities, ie. why, I m asking about difference in degrees.
Thanks a lot.
 
No. You can be a general dentist and be a DDS or DMD. Going into specialty has nothing to do with it.
 
toothfairy85 said:
No. You can be a general dentist and be a DDS or DMD. Going into specialty has nothing to do with it.
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So how many years of studies require for DMD vs. DDS. And how do I know which schools offer specialities bcz on school websites, it states what degrees are granted by their schools like DMD or DDS. Thanks for ur response.
 
It's still 4 years for both. You should be able to find out which schools have specialties by looking for something that says "post-doctorate programs" or something similar. Also, it is important to be aware that just because you apply to a school with specialty programs doesn't mean you will get into theirs. (ie: I can go to dental school in California and do a specialty/residency in Florida). It all depends on how your grades and board scores are as to where you will go for psot-doc work.
 
DMD and DDS stand for different words, Doctor of Medical Dentistry and Doctor of Dental Surgery, but they are the same degree. You can be a general dentist with either degree. Each school gives out either a DMD or DDS degree usually based on historical tradition (when it opened it gave out DMDs so it still does today or vice versa for DDS) but the American Dental Association makes NO DISTINCTION between a dentist with one or the other.

If you want to go into a specialty, you need to be on track to getting your DMD or DDS degree first, or already have your DMD or DDS degree, then apply to a specialty program. You do not apply for specialty until you are just about to finish dental school, so don't wory about that right now. If you want to find out what schools have which specialty programs, you need to do your own research. The easiest way is to buy the Official Guide to Dental Schools book put out by the ADEA. It has information on each school and usually lists what specialty programs are associated with each school.

here is a link to purchase the book:
https://access.adea.org/adeassa/ecssashop.show_product_detail?p_product_serno=241&p_mode=detail

Some people believe that it is better to go to a dental school that already has the specialty program you eventually want to pursue...others think that is a load. Either way, if you want to specialize...do well in school and do really well on the national boards. Getting into a specialty isn't easy.

research can be done without having your Ph.D, but it doesn't hurt and it would probably be easier to get grants and money to fund your reseach if you had a PhD attached to your DDS or DMD than if you didn't.
 
rupkaur said:
Hey guys,
thanks for answering my previous questions. I m thinking that general dentist has DMD degree, while specialities like oral surgeon has DDS and researchers in dentistry has DMD-pHD degree. Am i right? I m choosing schools to apply and m thinking about becoming oral surgeon so far. So, I want schools who offer these specialities, ie. why, I m asking about difference in degrees.
Thanks a lot.
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I can't remember the school, but I got a pamphlet saying "[xxxxxxx] school has changed our curriculum and we now teach dentistry of the future" included in that change was DDS->DMD...so perhaps the trend will be towards the DMD name, some resemblance to MD maybe? who knows. But ASDOH is also DMD and they're new. Not sure about UNLV though. it's not something I care about. I honestly don't care what my credentials are, I just want to practice dentistry.
 
and DMD doesn't mean Doctor of Medical Dentistry, and certainly dont say that in an interview
 
I know it's supposed to be officially Doctor of Dental Medicine, but I've seen Doctor of Medical Dentistry used many times too, and historically I think that's what it meant but somewhere along the lines they changed the wording without changing the acronym and that bugs me.
 
wasnt it latin originally, and harvard was first to issue the dmd degree? I have no idea but maybe when its translated directly from latin it comes out as one or another, who knows
 
What you said about the latin thing sounded right...so I looked it up... I couldn't find anything on the net except another thread in these forums a while back...Here's the post that was interesting:

JKDMed argued that the difference between DDS and DMD is in their latin spelling on the diploma. His argument, to make an analogy, is similar to the differences between a BA and AB, where the BA stands for Bachelor of Arts, and the AB stands for "Artium Baccalaureus". I disagree with his reasoning.

The latin translation of Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) is "Dentiste Medicinae Doctor", hence the DMD designation. The latin translation of Doctor of Dental Surgery is "Chirurgae Dentium Doctoris" or C.D.D if going by latin abbreviation. Ergo DMD is not the latin abbreviation for the Doctor of Dental Surgery degree.

The origin of the two different dental degrees originate in the 19th century. At the time, all dental schools conferred the Doctor of Dental Surgery degree (medicine and surgery were seperate discipline at the time). Harvard, which had a dental school awarded the DDS degree. However, since Harvard had a tradition of naming their degrees in latin, Harvard dental graduates held the C.D.D. initial in lieu of the DDS. Harvard decided to rename their degree "Dentiste Medicinae Doctor", to help their graduates while preserving their tradition of latin abbreviation. So the DMD is the latin abbreviation for Doctor of Dental Medicine (instead of DDM). This differ from JKDMed's arguement in that he argued that DMD was the latin abbreviation for the DDS. There was an actual name change in the degree which he failed to mention.

At the turn of the century, there were 57 dental schools in the United States, but only Harvard and Oregon awarded the DMD degree. As of 1989, 23 of 66 US Dental Schools and about half of Canadian Dental Schools confer the Dentiste Medicinae Doctor degree.
 
Thank you so much for ur replies....Now, I don't have any confusion about degrees....good luck for ur future plans............
 
And what I understand about the degree name-change (at Case most recently, I believe) is that schools have been changing from DDS to DMD because independent studies show patients believe DMD to be more equivalent to a "real doctor"... or such. DMD ~ MD. I read that somewhere... on a school's website I think?

But in terms of education, there is no difference. I guess a good comparison is that Vet students receive the DVM everywhere except PENN where they receive something like the VMD. DVM = VMD just as DDS = DMD. The only difference is public perception and, of course, the history of each school.

At least, that's how I understand it...
 
Mackchops said:
And what I understand about the degree name-change (at Case most recently, I believe) is that schools have been changing from DDS to DMD because independent studies show patients believe DMD to be more equivalent to a "real doctor"... or such. DMD ~ MD. I read that somewhere... on a school's website I think?

But in terms of education, there is no difference. I guess a good comparison is that Vet students receive the DVM everywhere except PENN where they receive something like the VMD. DVM = VMD just as DDS = DMD. The only difference is public perception and, of course, the history of each school.

At least, that's how I understand it...
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That's correct. And a DMD PhD or a DDS PhD means that person is a dentist that went back and received a PhD in something (such as pharmacology, immunology, biochemistry, and so on).
 
DMD can only practice the medical aspects of dentistry. DDS can only practice the surgical aspects of dentistry. That is why many offices have both a DDS and DMD working together.
 
TheWiredNerv said:
DMD can only practice the medical aspects of dentistry. DDS can only practice the surgical aspects of dentistry. That is why many offices have both a DDS and DMD working together.
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I hope your kidding. . . .

From the ADA website:

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Oral Health Topics A–Z
DDS/DMD

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Overview
What is the difference between a DDS and a DMD?
The DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) and DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) are the same degrees. The difference is a matter of semantics. The majority of dental schools award the DDS degree; however, some award a DMD degree. The education and degrees are the same.
 
I have also noticed, for whatever reason, that the trend seems to be going towards DMD. ASDOH, Midwestern, Western, and UNLV are all newer schools and all award the DMD degree. Right now the count is... 23 that award DMD, I think.
 
Is this thread a joke? According to the OP's previous posts he got into NYU Class of 2011... Yet still doesn't know DMD & DDS are the same.... hmmm
 
I think DDS has a nicer ring to it. You can call yourself a dental surgeon. Also, it is a proper acronym, whereas DMD should really be DDM.
 
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