Why does the dental "alphabet soup" credentials myth fail to actually attract patients? Because patients are laypeople who do not recognize most professional credentials, and even when they recognize them, the credentials do not address what patients actually use to choose a dental practice. Dentists earn fellowships, diplomate statuses, advanced certifications, and continuum completions through real work and study. The letters after the name accumulate over a career and the doctor reasonably feels proud of them. The patient, however, sees a string of letters that mean nothing to them. ABCD, EFGH, IJKL after a name register as visual noise rather than [...]