What Does DMD PA After a Dentist Name Mean?

Dentists, who clean teeth and fill cavities, study for many years in both college and dental school before entering the field. Dentists must also pass their state's licensing test after graduating from dental school.

DMD

• DMD stands for Doctor of Dental Medicine. A dentist earns either a DMD or a DDS, which stands for Doctor of Dental Surgery. The degrees are equivalent and dental schools choose which degree they want to award, according to the American Dental Association.

PA

• PA stands for professional association. Dentists can join the American Dental Association, which provides them automatic membership in their state's dental association. The ADA has more than 157,000 members.

Dental Schools

• Fewer than 60 dental schools exist around the nation as of 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Traditionally, dental school students first earn a bachelor's degree. To enter dental school, which lasts four years, candidates must take the Dental Admissions Test.