DMD is the acronym for the degree earned by our dental students - Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry. Here is what we hope LMU’s DMD degree conveys to the public.
Many Americans today enjoy excellent oral health and are keeping their natural teeth throughout their lives. But this is not the case for everyone. Cavities (known as dental caries) caused by poor, sugary diets and inadequate oral care) are still the most prevalent, and preventable, chronic disease of childhood.
Too many people mistakenly believe that they need to see a dentist only if they are in pain or think something is wrong, but they’re missing the bigger picture. A dental visit means being examined by a dentist, trained in all aspects of oral health starting with caries prevention and capable of diagnosing and treating conditions ranging from routine fillings to extremely complex gum disease, crowns, dentures, or dental implants.
A Team Approach
The team approach to dentistry promotes continuity of care that is comprehensive, convenient, cost-effective, and efficient. Members of the team include dental assistants, lab technicians, and dental hygienists. Leading the team is the dentist, a doctor specializing in oral health who has earned either a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree or a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree, which are essentially the same.
Dentists are doctors who specialize in oral health. Their responsibilities include:
- Diagnosing oral diseases.
- Promoting oral health and disease prevention.
- Creating treatment plans to maintain or restore the oral health of their patients.
- Interpreting x-rays and diagnostic tests.
- Ensuring the safe administration of anesthetics.
- Monitoring growth and development of the teeth and jaws.
- Performing surgical procedures on the teeth, bone, and soft tissues of the oral cavity.
Dentists’ oversight of the clinical team is critical to ensuring safe and effective oral care. Even seemingly routine procedures such as tooth extractions, preparing and placing fillings, or administering anesthetics carry potential risks of complications such as infection, temporary or even permanent nerve damage, prolonged bleeding, hematomas, and pain.
More than Just Teeth and Gums
Dentists’ areas of care include not only their patients’ teeth and gums but also the muscles of the head, neck, and jaw, the tongue, salivary glands, the nervous system of the head and neck, and other areas. During a comprehensive exam, dentists examine the teeth and gums, but they also look for lumps, swellings, discolorations, ulcerations — any abnormality. When appropriate, they perform procedures such as biopsies, diagnostic tests for chronic or infectious diseases, salivary gland function, and screening tests for oral cancer.
In addition, dentists can spot early warning signs in the mouth that may indicate disease elsewhere in the body. Dentists’ training also enables them to recognize situations that warrant referring patients for care by dental specialists or physicians.
Education and Clinical Training
The level of education and clinical training required to earn a DMD degree, and the high academic standards of dental schools, are on par with those of medical schools and are essential to preparing dentists for the safe and effective practice of modern oral health care.
Most dental students have earned Bachelor of Science degrees or their equivalent, and all have passed rigorous admission examinations. They arrive with a strong background and graduate from the LMU College of Dental Medicine as thoughtful and skillful dentists.
Updated:10/16/2025