The reason for adding "Med" and "Dent" to the "Dr" titles according to the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) is to help enhance patients’ rights, patient safety and quality healthcare among others.

This is to help distinguish between medical and dental "Dr" titles from academic "Dr" titles and the proliferation of honorary "Dr" titles which has become a norm in recent times, although, the GMA did not state it clearly in that manner in a press statement dated January 3, 2024, signed and issued by the President of the GMA, Frank Serebour.

It said the decision was taken at the 65th Annual General Meeting of the GMA held in Takoradi in November 2023.

It explained that medical doctors and dentists with additional academic titles will prefix those titles with their academic titles as appropriate.

“For example, Medical Doctors or Dentists with a professorial rank appointment and/or a PhD qualification may be designated Prof. Dr. (Med), Prof. Dr. Dr. (Med), Dr. Dr. (Med), Prof. Dr. (Dent), Prof. Dr. Dr. (Dent) or Dr. Dr. (Dent) as may apply,” the statement explained.

The GMA therefore instructed that all practising medical doctors and dentists/dental surgeons should change their name tags, practitioner stamps and other relevant materials to reflect the change.

The statement further encouraged members of the association to wear their name tags at all times at work to ensure clear and easy identification in the interest of patient and public safety.

“All Medical Doctors and Dentists should readily show their designations when asked by patients or the public. We implore the media and the public to take note of the new designations and refer to Medical Doctors and Dentists as such,” it added.

Attached below is a copy of the statement;

PRESS RELEASE

NEW DESIGNATION OF MEDICAL DOCTORS AND DENTISTS IN GHANA

Members of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) at the 65th Annual General Meeting held in Takoradi in November 2023, having deliberated extensively on issues of patients’ rights, patient safety and quality healthcare among others, decided on new designations to be used by all Medical Doctors and Dentists in Ghana effective 1st January, 2024.

The designations are as follows:

 

Dr. (Med) for Medical Doctors

Dr. (Dent) for Dentists/Dental Surgeons

Medical Doctors and Dentists with additional academic titles will prefix these titles with their academic titles as appropriate. For example, Medical Doctors or Dentists with a professorial rank appointment and/or a PhD qualification may be designated Prof. Dr. (Med), Prof. Dr. Dr. (Med), Dr. Dr. (Med), Prof. Dr. (Dent), Prof. Dr. Dr. (Dent) or Dr. Dr. (Dent) as may apply.

All Medical Doctors and Dentists/Dental Surgeons practicing in Ghana are therefore to take note and change their name tags, practitioner stamps and other relevant materials to reflect the change.

Members are encouraged to wear their name tags at all times at work to ensure clear and easy identification in the interest of patient and public safety.

All Medical Doctors and Dentists should readily show their designations when asked by patients or the public.

We implore the media and the public to take note of the new designations and refer to Medical Doctors and Dentists as such