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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]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.[/quote]

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.[/quote]

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