DMD
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Doctor of Dental Medicine |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Education & Academia, Medical |
DMD has two meanings. It stands for Doctor of Dental Medicine (degree) or Duchenne muscular dystrophy (neurology).
Meanings of DMD at a glance
| # | DMD stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Doctor of Dental Medicine | Education & Academia › Degree |
| 2 | Duchenne muscular dystrophy | Medical › Neurology |
1. Doctor of Dental Medicine
Education & Academia · Degree Abbreviations · also used in medicine
Dental degree equivalent to the DDS, awarded by Harvard, Penn, Tufts, Boston University and dozens of other schools after four years of CODA-accredited dental education. Graduates hold the same license and scope of practice as DDS holders.
Example: The practice welcomes Dr. Amina Yusuf, DMD, a graduate of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine.
Written D.M.D. Harvard introduced it in 1867 because the university conferred degrees in Latin and a translation of "Doctor of Dental Surgery" was awkward, so it chose Dentariae Medicinae Doctor. Patients sometimes assume DMD dentists are more medically trained, but the curricula and licensing exams are the same.
2. Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Medical · Neurology Abbreviations
X-linked genetic disease in boys caused by absence of the muscle protein dystrophin, producing progressive weakness from early childhood, enlarged calves, and later heart and breathing failure. It affects roughly 1 in 3,500 to 5,000 male births.
Example: Four-year-old with Gowers sign, calf pseudohypertrophy and CK 18,000: DMD, genetic testing sent.
Named after French neurologist Guillaume Duchenne. The Gowers sign, in which a child uses his hands to "walk up" his legs when rising from the floor, reflects hip weakness. Corticosteroids slow progression, and exon-skipping drugs and gene therapy are available for some genetic variants. Becker muscular dystrophy, with partially functional dystrophin, is milder.
Related abbreviations
More degree abbreviations
- DDS – Doctor of Dental Surgery
- DLitt – Doctor of Letters
- DM – Doctorate of Medicine
- DMA – Doctor of Musical Arts
- DMin – Doctor of Ministry
- DNP – Doctor of Nursing Practice
- DO – Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
- DPhil – Doctor of Philosophy
See all 139 degree abbreviations →
More neurology abbreviations
- DAI – Diffuse axonal injury
- DBS – Deep brain stimulation
- DCI – Delayed cerebral ischemia
- DLB – Dementia with Lewy bodies
- DMT – Disease-modifying therapy
- DTN – Door-to-needle time
- DTR – Deep tendon reflex
- EDH – Epidural hematoma
See all 131 neurology abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.