1. Professional dental qualifications should provide confirmation to dental bodies, to the public and to patients, of a dentist’s professional competence.
2. A dentist should therefore use, in connection with dental practice, only those qualifications/credentials or titles which are so permitted the dental regulatory authority(s) in that jurisdiction(s).
3. Whilst it must be for the dental regulatory authority(s) in that jurisdiction(s) to decide upon the legal requirements and restrictions applicable, the FDI considers that the use of honorary dental titles, including those obtained from international dental organisations, and of non-dental qualifications/credentials could be misleading both to patients and to the public by implying the attainment of a specialist or other higher diploma. Such titles should therefore be limited to communications with other dental colleagues, scientific papers and curriculum vitae.

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