Letters beside a provider's name can identify a degree, a professional role, or a certification. Those categories answer different questions. A degree describes education; a license establishes authority under a jurisdiction's rules; certification may document a separate qualification. A short label in a directory cannot replace checking the underlying credential.
This guide explains the labels used in the Doctors & Physicians Database. The product includes several kinds of healthcare professionals, not just physicians. Use the glossary to interpret a record, then verify the person's current qualifications and services with the relevant regulator and practice.
What a provider label can establish
Start by identifying what the abbreviation actually represents. MD and DDS are degree designations. NP and CNS identify advanced nursing roles. AU and CH appear here as catalog labels for audiology and chiropractic. Treating all of them as equivalent licenses would erase distinctions that matter when comparing providers.
A specialty field is another separate piece of information. It may help organize records, but it does not establish board certification, a current appointment, or permission to perform a particular procedure. Keep the original value available when adding a clearer display label, and record the source of any independently verified qualification.
Credential and profession glossary
AU: Audiologist
AU identifies audiology in this catalog. Audiologists evaluate and manage hearing and balance problems. Do not interpret AU as the name of an academic degree or a certification. The audiologist guide explains the distinction between professional education, state licensing, and the separate CCC-A certification.
CNM: Certified Nurse-Midwife
CNM identifies an advanced practice nursing role. Nurse-midwifery includes pregnancy and birth care, with a broader role in reproductive and other healthcare. It is not a label for every kind of midwife. The nurse-midwife guide distinguishes CNMs from other midwifery credentials and explains why services and practice authority need separate checks.
CNA: Certified Nursing Assistant
Nursing assistants help with basic care and daily activities under licensed nursing supervision. CNA does not mean registered nurse or nurse practitioner. Training, titles, and registry requirements depend on the state and setting. See the nursing assistant guide for a practical approach to checking training programs and registry status.
CNS: Clinical Nurse Specialist
CNS is an advanced practice nursing role whose work can span patient care, nursing practice, and improvements across a healthcare organization. It is more specific than a generic description of an experienced nurse. The clinical nurse specialist guide explains qualifications and why the person's population focus and state authorization matter.
CH: Chiropractor
CH is this catalog's chiropractic label; DC is the Doctor of Chiropractic degree designation. Chiropractors focus on the neuromusculoskeletal system. A CH record does not identify a medical physician or establish a particular treatment's effectiveness. The chiropractic guide covers education, licensing, and the importance of evaluating treatment evidence and risks.
CSW: Certified Social Worker
This catalog uses CSW for certified social worker. Social work licenses and their permitted activities differ by jurisdiction and license category, as the Association of Social Work Boards explains. Do not assume that a CSW label establishes independent clinical practice authority. Check the exact credential with the applicable social work regulator.
DDM catalog label: Doctor of Dental Medicine
The product uses DDM as a label for Doctor of Dental Medicine. The standard degree abbreviation is DMD. The American Dental Association explains that DMD and DDS involve the same education and curriculum. DMD is not an extra qualification above DDS. Preserve the source label when interpreting a record, and verify the actual degree independently.
DDS: Doctor of Dental Surgery
DDS is the other equivalent dental degree described by the ADA. The university determines which degree it awards. Neither DDS nor DMD alone establishes that a dentist is a specialist; dental specialization involves additional postgraduate training. A database filter should not rank one of these equivalent degrees above the other.
DO: Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
DO identifies an osteopathic medical degree. The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes MDs and DOs as physicians who use medical treatment and may perform surgery. DOs work across specialties. The letters alone do not tell you the person's specialty, current license status, or available services.
DPM: Doctor of Podiatric Medicine
DPM is the degree held by podiatrists, whose work concerns the foot, ankle, and lower leg. The BLS podiatrist profile describes their medical and surgical care, education, and licensing requirements. Do not infer permission to practice in another state from the degree or a license issued elsewhere.
NP: Nurse Practitioner
NP identifies an advanced practice nursing role. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing's APRN framework distinguishes roles and population focuses, including nurse practitioners, nurse-midwives, and clinical nurse specialists. An NP label does not establish expertise in every population or specialty. Check the person's qualifications and the rules in the relevant jurisdiction.
MD: Doctor of Medicine
MD identifies a medical degree. As the BLS physician profile explains, both MDs and DOs diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries. MD does not mean that every holder has the same specialty or offers the same services. Match the individual to the relevant license and independently confirm any specialty qualification needed for your research.
PT: Physical Therapist
Physical therapists help people improve movement and manage pain. The BLS healthcare occupation overview separates this profession from other healthcare roles. PT identifies the profession here; it does not by itself describe the person's academic degree, specialty training, or current practice setting.
PA: Physician Assistant
The BLS healthcare overview describes physician assistants as examining, diagnosing, and treating patients under physician supervision. Use the label to identify the profession, then check applicable practice requirements and the individual's role. Do not interpret PA as a medical student, a physician's administrative assistant, or proof of a particular specialty.
OD: Doctor of Optometry
OD identifies the Doctor of Optometry degree. Optometrists provide care relating to the eyes and visual system. The BLS optometrist profile explains degree and licensing requirements. An OD entry does not establish that the person performs a particular surgical procedure; confirm specific services and authorization separately.
NPI and taxonomy are different identifiers
An NPI is not a substitute for credential verification. CMS expressly states that issuing an NPI does not validate a provider's licensing or credentials. If another source supplies an NPI, keep that identifier separate from the evidence used to confirm a current license.
A healthcare taxonomy code is a ten-character classification used to describe provider classification and specialization in the NPI application process. CMS allows multiple taxonomy codes with one designated primary. A taxonomy code, a degree abbreviation, and a catalog label should occupy distinct fields rather than being treated as interchangeable values.
Read the database's scope before counting providers
The Doctors & Physicians Database lists 1,167,319 records across a mixed provider population. That is the product's total record count, not a count of licensed physicians or of any one profession in this glossary. A credential filter needs inspection before its results can support a workforce estimate or a coverage claim.
The displayed structure includes names, addresses, credentials, specialties, and geographic fields. It does not list phone numbers, email addresses, NPIs, license numbers, or current license status. Its latitude and longitude fields are explicitly labeled as centroids, so they should not be treated as verified office coordinates. Review the product's fields and available sample against the intended use.
Turn a label into a verified research record
For example, suppose a directory has one dentist labeled DDM and another labeled DDS. Treating DDM as a higher qualification would create an unsupported ranking. A better workflow preserves both original values, identifies the intended degree terminology, and records independently checked license information separately.
Apply the same discipline across the glossary: establish the person's identity, inspect the exact credential, check the relevant regulator, and confirm the practice's current address and services. Record when each check occurred. A useful directory tells readers both what a record says and what has actually been verified.