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yankeebaby2
member
How is a dentist not a doctor?
yankeebaby2
member
I'm late to the party but I don't get it.
Do they not go to school as long? Are teeth not apart of the body?
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Re: How is a dentist not a doctor?
I'm not sure if you are including my comment in your question. When I said in response, 'a dentist is not A Doctor, but a Dr.'
I was simply referring to the fact that others seemed to equate the term Doctor with MDs, and not DMDs or DDSs. But, they are still entitled to the Dr. title. Did that make any sense?
Dentist is a doctor. And so is OB GYN. And surgeon. LOL Why it's even an issue??
My BIL is a dentist and he goes by Dr. Tony 'Smith'...
The DDS behind his name states "Doctor of Dental Science", so I would argue he is a doctor, just not an MD.
They do not have the same residency requirement as an MD. So is a shorter training time.
That said, they are absolutely entitled to the "Dr." title
You better believe if I get a Phd in some randomness 'leadership' field I'm going to insist on the Dr. Title as well.
On a thread yesterday a poster thought it was pretentious of a dentist to expect her christmas cards to be titled Dr.
A couple of posters chimes in that a dentist was not a doctor and that they are on a first name basis with their doctor and that a doctor is not a surgeon so she doesn't deserve the title.
I know about it, I've read that thread. I didn't mean why is it an issue for you, I am just surprised why was it an issue in that thread at all. Does not seem like a big deal to me to be honest. But I do agree with you that dentist is by all means a doctor
I always thought it was Doctor of Dental Surgery
I don't really have a point. But just to clairify, a Psychiatrist is an MD, has been to medical school, and has completed at least one surgery rotation. If you had a medical emergency and a Psychiatrist responded they would be able to help you.
A Psychologist (also referred to as a Dr.) has a Phd not an MD and has no surgery rotation.
I think some put to much weight on the "Dr." title. Dr. shows how much education you've been through the MD, DO , DVM, DMD, JD, Phd describes the field.
I was the OP from yesterday. To be clear, I DO think a dentist is a doctor. And I don't think it's weird for dentists wanting their mail addressed that way. I DO think it's weird for a dentist to expect their FRIENDS to address their personal Christmas cards that way. If I sent a card to my dentist I would address it to doctor. But if my friend were the Queen I'd still address it to Holly X, kwim?
But... you didn't ask the dentist. You asked her husband. First, you asked a man... and then you are calling the woman pretentious?
You know what? You're right on that. I don't know for a fact that this was her doing so I'll concede that. I just do know that the issue has come up with her in the past and I do know it was her doing in that case. But like I said, you're right that she didn't say it.
Anyone who doesn't understand that you can have a doctorate and not practice medicine, needs to do some reading... or watch Friends. Cuz Ross was a doctor of anthropology. He was referred to as "Dr. Gellar" So, if Ross Gellar is considered a doctor, then of course a dentist would be considered a doctor. SO THERE!
I still address my friends in the military with their title. And my friends that are doctors. I address our christmas cards properly.
But ditto PP: her husband said it, not her.
We have 2 very close friends that are dentists and I always address everything to Dr. so-and-so. They have earned it and just because we are friends, it doesnt mean they dont deserve to be addressed as Dr.
I think it's cool you do that, but I gotta say, my husband (and his coworkers) would look at you like you were nuts if you addressed him as "Sergeant ___" :P He'd probably ask you if you used to serve together or something. lol
I do think it's nice that you show that level of respect though.
I have family in the military, too, and its how they prefer to be addressed.
But we are all proper ettiquette type of people.
I read over that this morning, but what she thought was pretentious was that they were informal Christmas cards. She wasn't planning on saying "Mr and Mrs. Smith" She intended to address the card as "Jim and Jane Smith." Instead, the friend stated to say "Jim and Dr. Smith." rather than her name.
That was the issue.
ETA: I'm kicking a dead horse. I just noticed OP came to clarify.
yes, but some of the follow up posters responded that a dentist isn't even a doctor.
OMG I HAVE NEVER SEEN THAT PICTURE BEFORE!
Dude, that picture beating a dead horse is a dead horse. Find some new images.
But just in correspondence right? Or do you call them doctor in conversation?
I am a dentist. I went through 4 years of dental school to earn that title and am hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt as a result. I didn't just study the mouth - I had to go through the exact same classes as med students - gross anatomy, histology, pharmacology, physiology, nutrition, etc. Many dental schools actually combine medical and dental school classes together for the first 2 years). I prescribe medicine. I diagnose and treat disease. I am a doctor.
If I receive a holiday card in the mail, even if it's from someone I am very close to, I expect it to be addressed to "Dr Heidi ____________" rather than "Ms. or Mrs". I am not offended if it is addressed to just "Heidi and Ben _________". It's only when they write Mrs. or Ms. rather than Dr.
In person, I only expect to be referred to as "doctor" if I'm in a professional setting (in my office or when I'm teaching at the dental school), and even then, only by my patients/students.
This. I've worked for quite a few dentists in my day, and THIS is correct. DDS is also identical to DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine).
I did not know they were the same thing. What degree does an oral surgeon have? (I could google it, but I'm not.)
It depends. First, they are a DDS or a DMD (same degree, the only difference is where they went to dental school). Additionally, they CAN be an MD, depending on whether their residency program offers an MD degree or not. Some may also have an MSD (Masters of Science in Dentistry).
This is EXACTLY what I was talking about. I wasn't using Mrs. anything. I just wanted to know what last name to put with her first name haha
Any DDS can perform oral surgery (wisdom teeth extraction-under local sometimes w/ nitrous, minor biopsies, etc) but most of the time they refer out to oral surgery. Oral surgeon's (typically) do a 4yr residency (in addition to 4yrs dental school) in OMFS and if they choose, another 2yrs in anesthesia. Some that I worked for, didn't do that 2yrs of training in anesthesia so they had to have an anesthesiologist come in on "surgery days". It was sooo nice when they did have the anes. training, because we could put patients to sleep the same day they come in, and take care of business
elmoali: did you say to the husband flat out that you planned to do Bob and Sue smith and not use titles? it sounds like you just asked about her last name. He probably assumed you were going to use titles hence his response. I doubt she will be offended by Bob and Sue Smith.
I think you just read too much into it.
Psychologists are not MDs, psychiatrists are. Psychologists may still be doctors if they have a PhD, but they did not go to med school.
Psychologists are not MDs, psychiatrists are. Psychologists may still be doctors if they have a PhD, but they did not go to med school.
Psychologists are not MDs, psychiatrists are. Psychologists may still be doctors if they have a PhD, but they did not go to med school.
this.
Also you better bet if I go through training for whatever and receive a doctorate degree, then I will expect to be preferred to as such. Its a respect thing.
So, in theory, I may some day be Dr C____ the nurse. (I have many instructors in my current program who are Dr so-and-so and they're nurses).