Dental qualifications use different acronyms around the world. The training is broadly comparable across regulated countries — the names just differ. Here is how to read what you are looking at.
01The base dental degree
In the US: DDS or DMD — both four-year doctoral degrees, interchangeable in practice. In Latin America: Cirujano Dentista (CD) — a five-year program leading to a clinical doctorate. In the UK and much of Europe: BDS — a five-year bachelor's that is functionally equivalent to a US doctorate.
02Specialty training
Specialty training adds 2–4 years after the base degree. Implantology, prosthodontics, periodontics, and oral surgery are the specialties most relevant to the procedures Meridian connects patients to. A surgeon with a master's (MSc) or board certification in implantology has completed formal specialty training, not a weekend course.
03National dental boards
Every regulated country has a licensing body whose registry is public. In Peru it is the Colegio Odontológico del Perú. In the US, state dental boards. Looking up the surgeon's registration number on the registry is a five-minute check that catches most fraud.
What a registry confirms
Registration confirms a clinician is legally allowed to practice. It does not confirm they are good at the procedure you need — that is what case volume and specialty certifications are for.
04Manufacturer certifications
Implant systems (Straumann, Nobel Biocare, Neodent, and others) have different surgical protocols. Manufacturer-specific training certifies a surgeon on a particular system. A surgeon certified on three or more major systems has seen the field broadly, not just the one their distributor sells.