Do you consider a dentist a doctor?

[Anonymous]

They still have the title doctor, yes. As does someone with any other type of doctorate (Ph.D., Ed.D.). They are not a medical doctor.

I am a Ph.D. I use the doctor honorific for my title when filling out forms because I earned it. I don't pretend to be a medical doctor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, they aren’t doctors and it annoys me when they say “the doctor will see you in a few minutes” and they actually mean the dentist. It’s ridiculous.

MD, DO etc are doctors. Not dentists.

They are most definitely doctors, as is anyone who holds a doctorate in a health care (or other) field. Unlike many other medical professionals, dentists, however, rarely work in a setting in which calling them Doctor would cause confusion about their credentials. When a PT, who holds a DPT, walks into your room and introduces themselves as Dr Smith, you might incorrectly assume they are a MD same with a nurse who holds a DNP. When the dentist walks into your examine room at the dentist office and introduces themselves as Dr. Jones, it differentiates themselves from the dental hygienist and techs and the setting would lead most people to assume they hold a DDS.

For me, I have an MD (and a PhD), but am no longer clinically licensed. If someone calls me doctor in an academic setting or my personal life, that is fine. If someone calls me doctor in the hospital outside of a patient care setting, that is fine also. When I am interacting with a patient, if a colleague calls me Dr, I correct them and introduce myself by my first name and my role. I am colloquially known by our patients as Dr Bob.

[Anonymous]

Many dentists are DMDs with 2 years of medical school.

Of course all of them are doctors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, they aren’t doctors and it annoys me when they say “the doctor will see you in a few minutes” and they actually mean the dentist. It’s ridiculous.

MD, DO etc are doctors. Not dentists.

They are most definitely doctors, as is anyone who holds a doctorate in a health care (or other) field. Unlike many other medical professionals, dentists, however, rarely work in a setting in which calling them Doctor would cause confusion about their credentials. When a PT, who holds a DPT, walks into your room and introduces themselves as Dr Smith, you might incorrectly assume they are a MD same with a nurse who holds a DNP. When the dentist walks into your examine room at the dentist office and introduces themselves as Dr. Jones, it differentiates themselves from the dental hygienist and techs and the setting would lead most people to assume they hold a DDS.

For me, I have an MD (and a PhD), but am no longer clinically licensed. If someone calls me doctor in an academic setting or my personal life, that is fine. If someone calls me doctor in the hospital outside of a patient care setting, that is fine also. When I am interacting with a patient, if a colleague calls me Dr, I correct them and introduce myself by my first name and my role. I am colloquially known by our patients as Dr Bob.

We have a friend who is a physical therapist. She has a DPT and often says how she has this designation. She doesn’t introduce herself as Dr. X. I have never seen her at her office so not sure how she refers herself at work.

We know a chiropractor and he also refers to himself as Dr. Z.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many dentists are DMDs with 2 years of medical school.

Of course all of them are doctors.

I don’t know any DMDs. What is that?

My oral surgeon went to medical school and dental school. He is a surgeon.

[Anonymous]

I don't have any issue with a dentist calling themselves "Dr." in their dentistry practice, but what OP is describing, with a dentist holding themselves out as a medical doctor in other settings where people are unlikely to understand they are a dentist, sounds unethical to me. I don't want a dentist rushing in to help me with a medical emergency they have zero training for.

I know a dentist who is somewhat obsessive about calling herself "Dr." (as in will correct people if they fail to address her that way) and I think it's obnoxious in the same way it would be if a PhD did that. I get it, you earned your doctorate. But in most situations, that is irrelevant and is just an effort to hold yourself above other people who don't have doctorates but who may still be very well educated. It would be like someone with a JD making a huge deal about having that acknowledged in a setting like the PTA where it doesn't matter.

Lots of people go to school for a long time and have deep, specialized knowledge in a specific area. Especially in a place like DC. People who get into pissing matches over this are insecure and need to get over themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many dentists are DMDs with 2 years of medical school.

Of course all of them are doctors.

I don’t know any DMDs. What is that?

My oral surgeon went to medical school and dental school. He is a surgeon.

Right, he's an oral surgeon, not a dentist.

[Anonymous]

You all are a bunch of anti-dentites.

[Anonymous]

I call my dentist Dr. when speaking to him

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I call my dentist Dr. when speaking to him

+1 but I don't genetically consider dentists to be doctors

I think offering to help in an emergency is good if there is no one else / you have more training than the average person

[Anonymous]

I consider a dentist a doctor more easily than I consider a professor a doctor. My grandfather had a PhD and would say "I'm not a real doctor. I teach at a college." He never wore his title.

[Anonymous]

Yes. My BFF went to Harvard dental school. The first two years are the same and with the medical school students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You all are a bunch of anti-dentites.

[Anonymous]

They all call themselves dr at their offices aren't they doctors??!

[Anonymous]

The helping on planes runs them into trouble unless they had specific training.

My Dad has been called up on planes a couple times, but there's nit much a doctor can do on a plane. One time he assessed a woman was like having a gallbladder attack and once he gave an epipen. But an EMT probably could have done both of those.