The Dental Caduceus: History, Meaning & Symbolism

The symbol for dentistry is the Caduceus, a staff entwined with two serpents. It is believed that the Caduceus was originally the staff of Hermes, the Greek god of commerce, travel, and thieves. It is said that Hermes used the staff to separate two fighting snakes, and they entwined themselves around the staff in peace. The Caduceus has been used as a symbol of medicine since the time of the ancient Greeks, and it is now the official symbol of the American Dental Association.

There is some confusion between the Caduceus and the Rod of Asclepius, which is a similar symbol that is also associated with medicine. The Rod of Asclepius is a single staff with a serpent entwined around it, and it is the symbol of the World Health Organization. The Caduceus is more commonly used in the United States, while the Rod of Asclepius is more commonly used in Europe.