DM vs. DDS

[hoosier1]

---

Members don't see this ad.

What's the difference?

 

[ISU_Steve]

Semantics.....same degree different wording. The use of DMD started because some schools (read as "Harvard") wanted to write their diplomas in Latin.

 

[Dental08?09]

DMD's can't prescribe pain killers while DDS can

I'm not sure why people go for DMD training because it is vastly inferior to DDS.

DMD is essentially a glorified dental hygiene degree

 

[aphistis]

DMD's can't prescribe pain killers while DDS can

I'm not sure why people go for DMD training because it is vastly inferior to DDS.

DMD is essentially a glorified dental hygiene degree

I believe you're confusing the DMD degree with a grad perio certificate.

And, to answer the original question, I'd definitely prefer having a DDS to diabetes mellitus.

 

[Audio]

So are they the same or not? I've never heard that DMDs have less power than DDSs. I doubt that Harvard would stand for that 😀

 

[Dental08?09]

So are they the same or not? I've never heard that DMDs have less power than DDSs. I doubt that Harvard would stand for that 😀

Sorry, but the truth hurts sometime. This time harvard screwed up...their degree from dental school is about equal to a community college degree.

 

[student80]

DMD's can't prescribe pain killers while DDS can

I'm not sure why people go for DMD training because it is vastly inferior to DDS.

DMD is essentially a glorified dental hygiene degree

I hope you are being sarcastic??? Some people may get confused about the 2 degrees bc they are certainly identical......DMD=DDS

 

[toofache32]

There is a HUGE difference and you have to consider this carefully when applying to schools. A DMD has to have a DDS prescribe his medications and do his prophy checks. And only a DDS can do surgery.

DMD is for people that couldn't get in to DDS school.

 

[toofache32]

And, to answer the original question, I'd definitely prefer having a DDS to diabetes mellitus.

 

[Dental08?09]

I hope you are being sarcastic??? Some people may get confused about the 2 degrees bc they are certainly identical......DMD=DDS

Sorry, go to the ADA and they will tell you the same. They are not identical. Like I said, a DMD is a back up plan for people that didn't get admitted to a DDS program.

 

[ISU_Steve]

Kind of like how '09 is a backup plan for those not admitted in '08?

 

[JohnDoeDDS]

wait, what? You guys are joking right?

 

[student80]

Sorry, go to the ADA and they will tell you the same. They are not identical. Like I said, a DMD is a back up plan for people that didn't get admitted to a DDS program.

DIRECTLY FROM ADA WEBSITE>>>>>sorry man, you're wrong!!
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.

 

[fancymylotus]

What's the difference?

The difference is that I can spell(DMD) and you cant. 😀

 

[Audio]

I've always thought they were the same. Every official resource I've read has said they're the same. And yet, dental students are saying something totally different. What's the deal. It doesn't sound right to me that schools like Harvard are a "backup" plan for those who couldn't get into a DDS program. Maybe some people are jealous that they couldn't get in? 😀

 

[r0entgen]

I've always thought they were the same. Every official resource I've read has said they're the same. And yet, dental students are saying something totally different. What's the deal. It doesn't sound right to me that schools like Harvard are a "backup" plan for those who couldn't get into a DDS program. Maybe some people are jealous that they couldn't get in? 😀

they're the same...either people here on sdn have nothing to do and they're just fooling around, releasing inaccurate information, or they're just plain ignorant.

every source i've read, DDS and DMD are the same, and there's no reason to believe otherwise..

 

[ysk]

I've always thought they were the same. Every official resource I've read has said they're the same. And yet, dental students are saying something totally different. What's the deal. It doesn't sound right to me that schools like Harvard are a "backup" plan for those who couldn't get into a DDS program. Maybe some people are jealous that they couldn't get in? 😀

Yea, people are just messin. DDS and DMD are totally the same. In order to prevent confusions just like this among the general public, there have been some attempts to combine into one degree, but they had arguments over making everything DDS or DMD or something totally different so they just decided to stick with what they had. Yea, ppl on SDN do harbor some resentment/bitterness/anger towards schools like Harvard or other supposedly 'big-shot schools' for some reason so beware that they might be pretty sarcastic when it comes to any questions regarding them.

 

[Dental08?09]

Yes I was joking

I find it even funnier that a pre-dent ask's the question. Not doing too much research into the field are we, eh?

 

[DrTacoElf]

D.D.S. or D.M.D. degree?
Many people, including dentists, share your confusion over the use of the D.D.S. and D.M.D. degrees. Today, some dental schools grant a D.D.S. degree and others prefer to award the D.M.D. degree instead. The training the dentists receive is very similar but the degree granted is different. Here are the details:

Ancient medicine was divided into two groups:

the surgery group that dealt with treating diseases and injuries using instruments; and
the medicine group that dealt with healing diseases using internal remedies. Originally there was only the D.D.S. degree which stands for Doctor of Dental Surgery.
This all changed in 1867 when Harvard University added a dental school. Harvard University only grants degrees in Latin. Harvard did not adopt the D.D.S. or "Doctor of Dental Surgery" degree because the Latin translation was "Chirurgae Dentium Doctoris" or C.D.D. The people at Harvard thought that C.D.D. was cumbersome. A Latin scholar was consulted. The scholar suggested the ancient "Medicinae Doctor" be prefixed with "Dentariae". This is how the D.M.D. or "Dentariae Medicinae Doctor" degree was started. (Congratulations! Now you probably know more Latin than most dentists!)

At the turn of the century, there were 57 dental schools in the U.S. but only Harvard and Oregon awarded the D.M.D. In 1989, 23 of the 66 North American dental schools awarded the D.M.D. I think about half the Canadian dental schools now award the D.M.D. degree.

The American Dental Association (A.D.A.) is aware of the public confusion surrounding these degrees. The A.D.A. has tried on several occasions to reduce this confusion. Several sample proposals include:

eliminate the D.M.D. degree;
eliminate the D.D.S. degree; or
eliminate both degrees and invent a brand new degree that every dental school will agree to use.
Unfortunately, this confusion may be with us for a long time. When emotional factors like "school pride" and "tradition" arise, it is difficult to find a compromise.

 

[toofache32]

Yea, ppl on SDN do harbor some resentment/bitterness/anger towards schools like Harvard....

...Or we've actually worked with or seen the clinical skills of the graduates.

 

[ISU_Steve]

I can't speak for the dental school grads but Harvard turns out some piss poor MD's. The med school turns out great medical researchers, but otherwise the new docs lack even the mediocre clinical skills that I've seen from FMG's.

 

[Victoria1999]

I guess, it is not only Harvard... I met few MDs already that have a hard time to locate some organs in the human body!!! 😱

 

[toofache32]

I guess, it is not only Harvard... I met few MDs already that have a hard time to locate some organs in the human body!!! 😱

I've found the right liver before, but I can never seem to find that left liver....

 

[ISU_Steve]

I've found the right liver before, but I can never seem to find that left liver....

It's also called the spleen ain't it? 😉