subject: What Is A D.d.s.? [print this page] When you go to your dentist appointment, do you take note of what the sign outside says? Is your dentist's name listed along with the credentials they earned in college? Those letters after their name signify what type of degree they earned and what services they can perform for you. One of them is the D.D.S., which is the Doctor of Dental Surgery. There is another one, which is the D.M.D., which is a Doctor of Dental Medicine.
Both degrees require a lot of classes, clinical work, and thorough knowledge of dental health. The difference between the two is the services they can perform on your teeth. The dentist with the D.D.S. degree will be able to perform surgeries in your mouth that include teeth extraction, wisdom tooth extraction, or other procedures where you have anesthesia in order to have them done. You could say the D.D.S. degree allows a dentist to perform oral surgery. The D.M.D. degree allows a dentist to perform procedures under local anesthetics and ones that do not require surgery in order to fix teeth.
What Does a D.D.S. Graduate Do?
A dentist with a D.M.D. degree might perform all of your routine work. It can be from checking the cleanings the dental hygienists do to reading X-rays. When they see wisdom teeth on your X-rays that need to be pulled out, then they would have to refer you to a D.D.S. who can perform the oral surgery and take them out.
The D.D.S. and the D.M.D. still have knowledge about all aspects related to your teeth and gum care. However, the D.D.S. has had more classes and can specialize in surgical operations. They have taken more classes in order to understand the surgical side of dentistry.
Education and Training for D.D.S. Students
The educational background of a D.D.S. is thorough and can take years to complete. The first part of their education will require a bachelor's degree in some branch of science, such as pre-medicine, pre-dentistry, biology, or even chemistry. Once that is completed, then they have to apply for a medical or dental school program. A master's degree is earned in the same discipline as the bachelor's degree, or else they can get a master's degree in a different science or medical field.
Most graduates with a D.D.S. or a D.M.D. degree work in an office that is already established, has the experience, and already has patients. Once the graduate has spent a few years learning the trade, they can opt to stay or go into their own practice. The process from starting a bachelor's degree to getting your own practice can take between 10 to 15 years.
