Yes, they aren't MDs. But they are Doctors. Personally, I have more respect for the average dentist than for the average GP. They put in tons of physical effort in their work. Lawsuits (or the threat thereof) are constant. Their board exams cover a lot of the same material as MDs. My personal experience is that the average dentist brings more relief to humanity (ever had dental pain?) than the average GP.
To further support your point, I read somewhere that dental pain was the leading cause of suicide, pre-1900 or so, which I find very easy to believe. Dentistry (along with sewage systems) is responsible for more quality of life than almost anything else.
There are "Doctors" of everything. Psychologists, nurse practitioners, audiologists, veterinarians, optometrists, pharmacists, chiropractors, and podiatrists hold professional medical doctorates. They aren't "Doctors." In the United States when people refer generally to "doctors" they mean physicians and surgeons with a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree who are licensed to practice medicine.
When people say "Is there a doctor on the plane?" after someone has a hear attack they aren't looking for dentists or audiologists are they?
