Jargon and terminology prevail across all sectors, and the healthcare industry is no different. Even when it comes to the dental care sector, one can find differences in the qualifications for a dental practitioner.
A professional will speak a different tone and language than a consumer or a layperson. The same is the case with a dental professional. They will speak in a different tone or use different terms compared to a patient. The clinical terms or jargon used by a dentist can sound strange to a patient. Common knowledge to a dentist might not be for a patient.
Among dentists, there are differences in qualifications. Even a patient can ponder the difference in the qualifications of multiple dentists treating them. There are two different qualifications that a dentist can boast of. One can have a DDS or a DMD credential. Are the two qualifications different, and how does it make a difference?
DDS vs DMD, what is the difference? From a patient perspective, or a knowledge perspective, there is no difference between the two qualifications. In terms of public perception, about 20% of folks do not know the difference between a DDS and a DMD degree, and whether both qualifications offer the same quantum of training.
Whether a Doctor of Dental Surgery or a Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry, it is the same. Having a DDS or a DMD credential does not make a difference for a professional who wants to practice as a dental practitioner.
If a dental practitioner has either degree, the training and knowledge received are the same. Differences arise only because the university offering a degree might choose to call the degree as per its choice. The level of clinical training is the same irrespective of the degree.
It needs to be noted that certifications in other nations that have other degrees, such as a BDS degree, still need a DDS or DMD credential to treat patients in a practice as a dentist in the USA or Canada.
When the same qualification gets conferred by different names, one might assume that there is no need for such alternate names. The origin of these alternatives can be traced back to Harvard University, which preferred its tradition of using Latin names as a qualification.
The DMD qualification thus stood for Dentariae Medicinae Doctor in Latin or a Doctor of Dental Medicine in English. Hence, there is no difference except for which university the student gets the degree from.
Several dental schools started opening in the middle of the 19th century. The first dental school that opened in the USA in 1840 was the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery at the University of Maryland.
Over time, more dental schools were opened, and each tried to advance the field of dental education. Harvard University opened its dental school in 1867 and started offering its degree in dental education. The Harvard tradition of naming degrees in Latin struck a particular challenge at this time, as there was a lack of a direct word for surgery. While surgery was eventually named from the Latin word ‘chirugery’, its meaning was interpreted as hard work. Hence, Harvard University named the degree as DMD or Doctor Medicinae Dentariae, which is now equivalent to the Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry.
From a curriculum perspective, the academic content and requirements for either dental degree are governed by CODA or the Commission on Dental Accreditation.
All degrees need four years of undergraduate education in addition to completion of four years at the dental school. States across the country allow licensed dental practitioners to work within the same scope of general dentistry, irrespective of the nomenclature of the degree.
The degree titled ‘Doctor of Dental Surgery’ or DDS is the appropriate term for a dental practitioner. The role of such a person in a dental practice is to maintain a patient’s oral health, rectify any issues, and offer appropriate solutions to treat problems.
The dentist can even perform preventive tasks to avoid future problems. All issues managed by the dentist are focused on the mouth, teeth, gums, and tongue.
The degree titled DMD can be either the Latin term Doctoris Medicinae Dentariae or its equivalent, Doctor of Dental Medicine. The role of a dentist with this degree is the same as that of a dentist who has a DDS degree.
For any dental student, DDS vs DMD does not matter. The path to either degree is identical.
Both certifications, DDS or DMD need a four-year undergraduate study for a pre-medical degree, post which the student can attend a dental school and commence with formal training. The students also need to finish a residency program that’s mandatory and part of the curriculum requirement.
Students who complete the course then receive a DMD or DDS certification on graduation. These degree nomenclatures are determined by the school attended by the student. A student needs to pass a licensure examination, as this will enable the student to join a dental practice and legally perform as a dental practitioner.
For practice owners, the degrees held by students must not form the basis for recruitment, salaries, or even promotions. Experience, knowledge, and expertise matter in such situations. Practice owners can review residency programs completed while studying at a dental school or consider the specialisations of a student based on the requirements of the practice.
Differences in qualifications, either DMD or DDS, are because of the universities that offer the degree. The choice of specialisations or the credibility of the dental school can be used to determine the selection of potential dentists. From a student's perspective, one needs to note that a student with an orthodontic specialisation will get a much higher salary than a student who is only a general dentist.
Capline Dental is a leading provider of end-to-end services to dental practices of all sizes in the USA and can be reached at info@caplinedentalservices.com
