Why Do You Have Different Types of Dentistry Degrees?

Observant patients might notice that I, Dr. Dan Doyle, have a different dentistry degree than Dr. Romina Doyle and Dr. Dennis Doyle. Why, you ask? The answer has to do with Harvard in the mid-19th century. The original American dentistry degree is the D.D.S., which stands for Doctor of Dental Surgery. [...] The post Why Do You Have Different Types of Dentistry Degrees? appeared first on Doyle Dental.

The original American dentistry degree is the D.D.S., which stands for Doctor of Dental Surgery. It was first awarded by the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery around 1840.

When Harvard University started its own dental school in the mid-1800s, though, they ran into a problem: They awarded all of their degrees in Latin, but they found that the Latin translation of “Doctor of Dental Surgery” was awkward. After consulting a Latin scholar, Harvard changed the degree to “Doctor of Dental Medicine,” or D.M.D.

Some universities followed suit, including my alma mater, Farleigh Dickinson, and began awarding the D.M.D. Others, like the University at Buffalo (the alma mater of Drs. Romina & Dennis) stuck with the D.D.S.

Functionally, though, both degrees are essentially the same, since all dentists are required to pass the same licensing exams.

Dental hygienists also have two types of degrees: individuals finishing a two-year program are awarded a Registered Dental Hygienist degree (R.D.H.), while those finishing a four-year program receive a R.D.H.B.S.

The post Why Do You Have Different Types of Dentistry Degrees? appeared first on Doyle Dental.