I'm looking for a dentist, and I'm running across DMDs and DDSs. What's the difference -- is one degree better than the other?

They actually mean the same thing -- you're visiting a licensed dentist. Technically, DMD stands for Doctor of Dental Medicine and DDS stands for Doctor of Dental Surgery. The reason for the difference in suffix is that most dental schools offer the DDS degree, but others give out the DMD degree.

If you're searching for a dentist, check out the "Find a Dentist" search tool, which is linked at the top of the American Dental Association's website at www.ada.org. Or use the American Academy of General Dentistry's online directory at www.agd.org/findadentist/disclaimer.asp.