You may notice in your search for a dentist that while most are listed with a “DDS”, some may be listed as “DMD”. You may wonder what each means and if there is any differences.  Well in fact they both mean the same thing, the dentist graduated from an accredited dental school.

DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery)
DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine)

They are the same degrees. Dentists who have a DMD or DDS have the same education. The level of education and clinical training required to earn a dental degree, and the high academic standards of dental schools are on par with those of medical schools. Upon completion of their training, dentists must pass both a rigorous national written exam and a state or regional clinical licensing exam in order to practice. In order to keep their licenses, they must meet continuing education requirements for the remainder of their careers so that they may stay up to date on the latest scientific and clinical developments.