DMD vs DDS: Which Dental Degree Should You Choose?

April 16, 2025 :: Admissionado

DDS vs DMD: Same Tooth, Different Title

If you’ve ever gone down a WebMD rabbit hole (we see you), chances are you’ve stumbled across the mysterious duality of dental degrees: DDS and DMD. And if you’re here because you Googled something like “difference between DDS and DMD” or “wait, what is DMD again?”—congrats, you’re in good company. Because guess what? Even some dentists have to pause for a sec before explaining this one.

Let’s cut through the plaque:

DDS = Doctor of Dental Surgery

DMD = Doctor of Dental Medicine

Both are doctoral degrees in dentistry. Both are awarded after dental school. And yes, both let you poke around in people’s mouths for a living.

Here’s the kicker: There is zero functional difference between the two. None. Nada. Same curriculum. Same licensure requirements. Same terrifying student loan debt. Same ability to numb half your face with pinpoint precision.

So… why do we have two names for the exact same thing?

Blame Harvard.

Back in the mid-1800s, when Harvard decided to offer a dental degree, they weren’t about to follow the plebeian naming conventions already in place. “Doctor of Dental Surgery” just didn’t vibe with their Latin-loving aesthetic. So they created Dentariae Medicinae Doctoris—DMD—because it sounded fancy (and, you know, matched their whole Ars Longa, Vita Brevis thing).

Other schools either stuck with DDS or hopped on the DMD bandwagon. Fast-forward to today, and we’ve got a split system based on… vibes.

Bottom line:
It does not matter whether your future dentist is a DDS or a DMD. Two degrees. One drill. No difference in your Novocain dosage.

But if you’re thinking about becoming one of these white-coated warriors yourself, understanding this nuance early saves you from sounding like a dental conspiracy theorist later. Now you can say, “Oh, it’s just a title thing—same education, different Latin.” And then casually sip your iced coffee like the informed legend you are.

Admissions + Dental School Programs: Exactly the Same

If you’re obsessively comparing dental school programs and trying to decode the subtle art of DDS vs. DMD, allow us to save you several hours of Reddit doomscrolling:

Choosing between DDS and DMD is like choosing between a chocolate chip cookie and a… chocolate chip cookie. Just pick the one baked by your favorite dental school.

Here’s what actually matters when it comes to dental programs—and spoiler alert, “DDS” or “DMD” isn’t on that list.

Admissions Requirements: Copy/Paste Across the Board

Whether the school hands you a DDS or DMD at graduation, the admissions process is identical. There is no secret backdoor, no mystical handshake, no extra set of hoops depending on the letters.

You’ll need:

• A strong GPA, especially in the sciences
  
• DAT scores that won’t make your pre-med friends pity you
  
• Letters of recommendation from humans who can vouch for your work ethic, intelligence, and chairside manner
  
• Interview performance that screams “confident future clinician,” not “I memorized these answers from YouTube”
  
• Hours of shadowing, volunteering, or working in healthcare settings to prove you actually like teeth

Curriculum + Clinical Training: Same Mouth, Same Tools

Once you’re in, your day-to-day life in dental school will look 99.9% the same whether you’re headed toward a DMD or DDS:

• Years 1–2: All about didactic coursework—biochem, anatomy, pathology, pharmacology. You’ll know more about the trigeminal nerve than most neurologists.
  
• Years 3–4: Clinical rotations, hands-on patient care, and lab work where you’ll finally wield that drill for real.
  
• Licensure Exams: Everyone takes the same set of board exams (INBDE + clinical licensure exams). No exceptions.

Whether it’s a DDS or DMD school, the accreditation standards are set by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). They don’t mess around—and they certainly don’t care what’s printed on the diploma.

Philosophical Differences? Barely.

Occasionally, a DMD school might emphasize the “medicine” of dentistry a touch more, focusing on the body as a whole. A DDS program might lean slightly more technical or procedural. But these differences are more flavor than substance—think vanilla bean vs. French vanilla.

The type of degree awarded? Purely institutional branding:

• Harvard? DMD. (Obviously.)
  
• USC? DDS.
  
• Tufts? DMD.
  
• Columbia? DDS. (Yes, even the Ivy Leagues are split on this.)

You don’t choose the degree. The school chooses it for you. Your job is to choose the right school.

And that choice? Has absolutely nothing to do with the letters on the diploma… and everything to do with fit. Curriculum style, faculty vibe, class size, location, and whether you can see yourself thriving there.

Because at the end of the day, no patient will ever say, “Wait, are you a DDS? I only let DMDs near my molars.”

Careers + Specialties: Does the Degree Affect What You Can Do?

Let’s kill the suspense right here:
No, your degree—DDS or DMD—does not affect your career options.
Not one bit.

Your diploma could say “Doctor of Tooth Wizardry” for all your patients’ care. They’re not comparing fonts; they’re wondering if you take Delta Dental.

So what actually matters? Spoiler: it’s you. Your skills. Your training. Your chairside charisma. Let’s drill into it (yep, we went there):

Licensure? Identical. Everywhere.

Whether you graduate with a DDS or DMD, you’ll need to pass:

• The INBDE (Integrated National Board Dental Exam)
  
• A clinical licensure exam approved by your state

That’s the case in all 50 states. There are no extra hurdles, no secret DDS-only or DMD-only tracks. Just you, your competence, and a laminated ID you’ll wear at slightly crooked angles for the next 30 years.

Specializations? Open Season.

Want to become an orthodontist? Oral surgeon? Endodontist? Pediatric dentist? You can pursue any dental specialty with either degree.

Both DDS and DMD grads apply to the same residency programs, complete the same postgrad training, and take the same specialty board exams. Admissions committees don’t even blink at the letters—they care about:

• Your clinical performance
  
• Class rank
  
• Board scores
  
• Research experience
  
• Your glowing (or not-so-glowing) recs

And yes, a compelling personal statement that doesn’t read like ChatGPT wrote it. (Oh, the irony.)

In the Clinic? No Functional Difference.

Once you’re out there fixing smiles and battling plaque, no one can tell whether you’re a DDS or DMD unless they read the microscopic text on your business card.

• Same procedures: fillings, crowns, implants, root canals, full-mouth reconstructions
  
• Same tools: drills, scalers, lasers, loupes
  
• Same scope of practice: from cosmetic makeovers to complex surgical cases

This isn’t like MD vs. DO, where philosophy and training paths diverge. In dentistry, DDS and DMD are clinically indistinguishable.

What Do Employers and Patients Care About?

Here’s the real talk:

• Employers want competent clinicians who work well under pressure and don’t freak out mid-surgery.
  
• Patients want painless procedures, clear communication, and someone who remembers their name (or at least pretends convincingly).

Nobody’s checking your degree acronym.

They’re checking your Yelp reviews.

DDS vs DMD: Salary Comparison

Let’s get one thing straight: Your dental degree won’t set your salary. Your chair-side hustle will.

Whether you’re rocking a DDS or a DMD, your starting pay—and future earnings—will depend on a bunch of factors, but the letters on your diploma? Not one of them.

There is no meaningful salary difference between DDS and DMD grads. Zero. Zip. Nada.

What Actually Determines Your Income:

• Specialty: Orthodontists and oral surgeons tend to out-earn general dentists. Surprise: it’s not about your degree, it’s about your training.
  
• Practice Ownership vs. Employment: Owning your own practice can significantly boost earnings (and stress). Working for a DSO or hospital? More stability, sometimes fewer zeroes.
  
• Location, Location, Location: Dentists in rural areas or high-demand zip codes often command higher fees. Coastal cities? More competition. Hello, startup overhead.
  
• Business Skills: The dentist who understands marketing, patient retention, and staff management? That one thrives. Degree irrelevant.

So when someone asks “Which is better, DDS or DMD?”—the real answer is: the one who knows how to build a smart, sustainable career.

Because that paycheck? It doesn’t care about your degree. It cares about your hustle.

How to Choose: Should You About Which Program Is Offered?

Choosing between DDS and DMD is like stressing over whether your dentist uses a blue toothbrush or a green one. They’re both Latin flexes for “You fix teeth.” What actually matters is the experience you’re going to have for the next 4 years of your life.

Instead of fixating on the degree label, zero in on this:

What You Should Be Evaluating:

• Curriculum Structure: Does the program front-load science classes? How early do you get into the clinic? Are there electives or research opportunities that match your interests?
  
• Clinical Exposure: How many patients will you see? Do you get hands-on time early, or are you stuck observing until year three?
  
• Location + Cost: City or suburb? Big tuition or reasonable? Close to home or clear across the country? Your environment matters more than you think.
  
• Alumni Network + Match Rates: Are graduates getting into top residencies? Are they opening successful practices? Are they happy?
  
• School Culture: Some programs are cutthroat, others collaborative. Visit. Talk to current students. Trust your gut.

Pro Tips for Choosing the Right Fit:

• Go on campus visits and sit in on a class if possible
  
• Ask students how much they actually get to do in clinic
  
• Talk to recent grads about post-dental school life
  
• Don’t base your decision on rankings alone—consider quality of life, support systems, and your own learning style

Bottom line? Choose a school where you’ll thrive, not a degree that sounds fancier. Because they’re both just different ways to say “You’re certified to fix teeth.”

Final Word: It’s Not About DDS or DMD—It’s About You

Let’s kill this myth once and for all: DDS and DMD are functionally, clinically, financially, and professionally identical. Period.

You’re not choosing between different careers. You’re choosing where to train, who to learn from, and how to build the kind of dental career that makes your future self proud.

What matters most isn’t the acronym on your degree. It’s the skillset you build. The compassion you bring. The precision in your prep margins. The hustle in your hustle.

It’s not DDS vs DMD. It’s you vs the average dental school applicant.
Let’s make sure you win that fight.

Thinking about dental school? Whether you’re sorting through programs, polishing that personal statement, or wondering if you should retake the DAT—Admissionado’s got your back.

Get a free consultation and let’s build your game plan. Your future patients are waiting.