DDS DENTAL DENTIST DOCTOR

The degree earned though dental school is DDS, which stands for DOCTOR OF DENTAL SURGERY. The other dental degree, which is EQUIVALENT, is DMD, which stands for DOCTOR OF DENTAL MEDICINE (in latin, hence the misaligned acryonym. dds dental dentist doctor

There have been rumors that those with the DMD distinction were not as well trained in dental SURGERY, but that is NOT true. There is more detailed information on DENTAL EDUCATION just a click away, but for all intents and purposes, all dentists that went to accredited dental schools in the US are trained in the same fields, and are licensed to perform procedures in all arenas of dentistry.

The distinction merely depends on where your personal dentist went to school; some schools present the degree of DDS, some DMD, but the dental education is THE SAME.

There are many residency programs which offer dentists additional post graduate training. In addition to the known specialties, such as PERIODONTICS , ENDODONTICS , ORAL SURGERY , PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY , PROSTHODONTICS , and ORTHODONTICS , there are many GENERAL PRACTICE residencies as well, in which a dentist receives training in all the different disciplines.

In addition, some dentists receive MASTER'S degrees, often earned by doing RESEARCH.