What Is A Dentist's Degree Called?

There are so many different degrees and qualifications that can be taken in order to work as a dentist that it is not possible to define a degree in dentistry. It also depends on where you study and which education or professional authority regulates your training.

There are many routes into dentistry and it is not just a case of going to college, gaining a degree and then starting work. Some choose the degree option whilst others go for a more vocational path. In the USA there are two degrees which most trainee dentists take and which are fully recognized by the Industry. The DMD degree or Doctor of Dental Medicine, and the DDS, Doctor of Dental Surgery.

In the USA, pre-dental school pre-requisites take two to three years to complete. DMD or DDS degrees to become a Dentist or a Dental Surgeon take four to five years to complete, followed by the licensure exams, both formal and practical ones before you can become a dentist. To be a dental hygienist most states require the standard four year Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene degree before you can sit for licensure exams.

In the UK it takes about five years to train and qualify to become a dentist, and to become a dental hygienist it takes two years, both full time. The process is similar to the USA and all dentists in the UK initially follow the same education and training as each other in order to qualify to work as a dentist. A candidate initially needs to obtain a bachelors degree (either a BDS or BChD, a Baccalaureus Chirurgiae Dental) from one of the 13 dental schools around the country. This is then followed by further training related to the specialty area chosen in the dental industry.

The orthodontist who treated one of our sons was a DDS.  She also had an MS degree in dentistry. 

Two quotes from the internet:

"The goal of the Master of Science program of the College of Dental Medicine is to provide advanced training in research and research methodology to students, primarily those enrolled in one of the College of Dental Medicine postdoctoral programs."

"Students earning a Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.D.M.) degree learn about providing dental care to diverse populations, diagnosing and treating oral conditions and mastering dental treatment procedures by practicing on models and patients. They also learn restorative dentistry, periodontics, oral surgery, pediatric dentistry and other dental specialties. Dental school typically takes four years of full-time study beyond the baccalaureate level to complete."

Depending on where you are from a Dentist's degree may be called either a "Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS)" or a "Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)". The former of the two is used in the United Kingdom while the latter is awarded to Dentists in the United States. In the United States a DDS may also be referred to as a DMD or Doctor of Dental Medicine. Dentists are required under both these programs, in the United Kingdom and the United States to undergo an additional year of practical training. There is also further training available for dentist. These are post graduate programs lasting from two to four years that help the dentist specialize. Masters Degrees in this field are known as either MDS or MS.

It depends upon the location. In India It's BDS - Bachelor of Dental Surgery.