DMD or DDS – What Do These Three Letter Mean?

DMD or DDS – What Do These Three Letter Mean?

My dentist told me I need a crown, and I was like, Oh,,, yeah,,, really? I know,,, right?  I mean, I don’t need a crown on my head.

When he told me that he is talking about crowning my tooth, I made it clear to him that I’m not gonna take this until I check his specialty in a degree form.

So, with that said, whenever you visit any dentist, you might have seen these 3 letters written after their name, DMD or DDS.

What is the deal with these dentists and how can you tell what it all means and who you should visit?

Don’t worry; we are right here to make sense of the different sorts of dental practitioners what it means for you as a patient.

General Dental Care – DMD vs. DDS

In most cases when you attend the dental office, you’re seeing the general dentist who’s either a DMD or a DDS.

A dental professional with a DMD earned their Doctor of Dental Medicine degree or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry; one with a DDS has earned their Doctor of Dental Surgery degree.

Both a DMD and a DDS has 3 or more years of undergrad studies followed by 4 years of dental school to earn those qualifications. 

And of course, they sound the same. The fact is, they are actually, both a DMD and a DDS are usually types of dental practitioners who have exactly the same degrees – the real difference in the title is due to the particular university they attended and the way that university acknowledges the profession.

Each of these types of dental practitioner is usually considered general dental surgeons, and they are your main providers who cater to your general oral healthcare requirements. This usually includes treating or diagnosing problems such as gingivitis, tooth decay, crowns, bridges, and root canals as well as precautionary care, hopefully making it possible for you to steer clear of the need for the next types of dental practitioners – the dental gurus.

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3 important Dental Specialists (I call them dental gurus)

Listed here are the most popular types of dental specialists. 

     1. Orthodontist

An affected person is referred to an orthodontist when a general dental professional notices misalignment with the teeth and jaw of both adults and children. If there are missing teeth, extra teeth, or teeth that are congested; an orthodontist can treat the person with solutions such as retainers, braces, and Invisalign. Don’t be blown away if your little one is referred to Orthodontist Normand Bach as early as the age of 7, as he is especially very much kind to kids.

     2. Pediatric Dentist

This type of dentist works specifically with children; they are usually called pedodontists or pediatric dentists.  The majority of their additional training targets building a good relationship between kids and the dentist and it is based on child psychology.

     3. Oral Surgeon

An oral surgeon focuses primarily on the surgical procedure of injuries, disease and functional or esthetic areas of your mouth. They’re the ones who handle dental implant, remove a wisdom tooth, and dubious biopsy spots in the mouth.

As it seems like a hassle to see a dental specialist, it’s to your greatest benefit to doing so whenever referred. It is just like you would not visit any physician for knee joint replacement; a professional has the extra experience and training to provide you with particular treatment that will help you achieve optimal dental health.