You may recognize this symbol- it’s the official emblem of dentistry. But do you know the meaning behind it?
The emblem was officially adopted by the American Dental Association (ADA) in 1965, and it has three main elements: the triangle & circle; the leaves & berries; and the snake.
The Triangle and Circle
These shapes are actually Greek letters- the triangle is Delta, which stands for dentistry; and the circle is Omicron, which stands for odont, or tooth.
The Leaves and Berries
This design is symbolic of your primary, set of baby teeth, and permanent, second set of adult teeth. If you look closely, you will see that there are 32 leaves, which represents the number of permanent teeth. And there are twenty berries for the twenty baby teeth children have before their adult set comes in.
The Snake
The serpent is the focal point of the emblem, and it has a powerful symbolic meaning. The snake is a representation of health in Greek and Biblical texts, despite being venomous. The rod that the snake is twisted around is the staff of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine, and it often used as a symbol of health care.
Dentistry is an area of health care focused on preventative medicine. We value our patients and pride ourselves in providing the utmost [experience in dental services.]