DDS
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Doctor of Dental Surgery |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Education & Academia, Transportation & Travel |
DDS has two meanings. It stands for Doctor of Dental Surgery (degree) or Department of Driver Services (driving).
Meanings of DDS at a glance
| # | DDS stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Doctor of Dental Surgery | Education & Academia › Degree |
| 2 | Department of Driver Services | Transportation & Travel › Driving |
1. Doctor of Dental Surgery
Education & Academia · Degree Abbreviations · also used in medicine
First professional degree for dentists in the US and Canada, earned after four years at a dental school accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). Graduates must pass the INBDE and a clinical licensure exam before practicing.
Example: Mark Chen, DDS, opened a family dental practice after five years as an associate.
Written D.D.S. The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, founded in 1840 as the world's first dental college, created the degree. The DDS and DMD are educationally identical, and each school chooses one by tradition. Orthodontists, oral surgeons and other specialists complete two to six more years of residency after the degree.
2. Department of Driver Services
Transportation & Travel · Driving Abbreviations
Georgia state agency that issues driver's licenses, permits and ID cards and administers driving tests. Vehicle registration in Georgia is handled separately by county tag offices.
Example: Georgia teens take the permit knowledge test at a DDS customer service center.
Several other states and countries use similar names. The split between driver services and vehicle registration, handled by the Department of Revenue through county offices, is common in the South. DDS is more widely known as Doctor of Dental Surgery.
Related abbreviations
More degree abbreviations
- DBA – Doctor of Business Administration
- DC – Doctor of Chiropractic
- DClinPsy – Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
- DD – Doctor of Divinity
- DLitt – Doctor of Letters
- DM – Doctorate of Medicine
- DMA – Doctor of Musical Arts
- DMD – Doctor of Dental Medicine
See all 139 degree abbreviations →