Who came up with this?

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SuperTank

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I understand that DDS is used to refer to a "Doctor of Dental Surgery."
But who came up with the idea that DMD would be used to refer to a "Doctor of Dental Medicine"? Wouldn't that be a DDM?

Does anyone know the reasoning behind that?

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I understand that DDS is used to refer to a "Doctor of Dental Surgery."
But who came up with the idea that DMD would be used to refer to a "Doctor of Dental Medicine"? Wouldn't that be a DDM?

Does anyone know the reasoning behind that?

Harvard started it, so the thought that it's any less of a degree is instantly null. They did it because all of the degrees they give are in Latin, so, the Doctorum Medicalis Dentalis or whatever it is in latin, translates to Doctor of Dental Medicine, but I actually prefer it as Doctor of Medical Dentistry, that has a better ring to it.
 
yeah, i prefer DDS because it sounds cooler

but does it matter? no lol
 
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Harvard started it, so the thought that it's any less of a degree is instantly null. They did it because all of the degrees they give are in Latin, so, the Doctorum Medicalis Dentalis or whatever it is in latin, translates to Doctor of Dental Medicine, but I actually prefer it as Doctor of Medical Dentistry, that has a better ring to it.

I'm not implying one degree was greater than the other. I was simply inquiring about the origins.

After posting this I started thinking about how doctors of medicine have an MD degree. So I figured it had to be a Latin thing. I went to wikipedia (my source for all information) and found that MD = Medicinæ Doctor, so DMD must be whatever the Latin word is for Dental, followed by Medicinae Doctor, and thus DMD.
 
yeah, i prefer DDS because it sounds cooler

but does it matter? no lol

As my signature says, I really like DMD better. Something about the M just makes it sound stronger. But yeah, it doesn't really matter - the only thing is that sometimes people might think you're a Vet or something.
 
I'm not implying one degree was greater than the other. I was simply inquiring about the origins.

After posting this I started thinking about how doctors of medicine have an MD degree. So I figured it had to be a Latin thing. I went to wikipedia (my source for all information) and found that MD = Medicinæ Doctor, so DMD must be whatever the Latin word is for Dental, followed by Medicinae Doctor, and thus DMD.

Oh yeah, didn't think you were - but a lot of people relate DMD and DDS the same way as MD and DO - even though for all intents and purposes they're the same, people look down on DO for some reason. Though I don't think this is the place to start a debate on that! haha
 
As my signature says, I really like DMD better. Something about the M just makes it sound stronger. But yeah, it doesn't really matter - the only thing is that sometimes people might think you're a Vet or something.

yeah, if you look at it from an initial standpoint, i kinda have to agree with you. however, when written out, i think the word "surgery" makes DDS sound "cooler" lol. but nuff bout that.

oh and...you definitely don't want to spark the debate between DO and MD haha. I saw something about that on these forums a few years ago...
 
yeah, if you look at it from an initial standpoint, i kinda have to agree with you. however, when written out, i think the word "surgery" makes DDS sound "cooler" lol. but nuff bout that.

oh and...you definitely don't want to spark the debate between DO and MD haha. I saw something about that on these forums a few years ago...

Idunno, I think Medicine sounds better, the word Surgery just makes me think of Scalpel Jockeys.

And who can resist...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Txi6CPe46Y :D
 
Harvard had the great foresight to come up with the DMD degree to cause frustration on the SDN forums for all eternity.
 
... but I actually prefer it as Doctor of Medical Dentistry, that has a better ring to it.

Doctor of Medical Dentistry..it suggests dentistry alone has nothing to do with medicine...
 
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this topic has been discussed ad nauseum and is covered in the sticky threads at the top of the forum. It's even in the thread title, for goodness' sake!

closing thread.
 
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