Maryland Statutes
Subtitle 4 - Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 11-403 - Titles

(a)    A licensed optometrist may:
        (1)    Use the title “optometrist”;
        (2)    If the optometrist holds the degree of doctor of optics or doctor of optometry from a college or university authorized to give the degree, use the title “Doctor” or the abbreviations “Dr.” or “O.D.” with the optometrist’s name;
        (3)    If the optometrist is certified under § 11-404 of this subtitle, use the title “diagnostically certified optometrist”; and
        (4)    If the optometrist is certified under § 11-404.1 of this subtitle, use the title “therapeutically certified optometrist”.
    (b)    Except as otherwise provided in this section, a licensed optometrist may not attach to the optometrist’s name or use as a title:
        (1)    The words or abbreviations “Doctor”, “Dr.”, “M.D.”, “physician”, or “surgeon”, or any other word or abbreviation that suggests that the optometrist practices medicine; or
        (2)    Any word or abbreviation that suggests that the optometrist treats diseases or injuries of the human eye, including the words “eye specialist”, “eyesight specialist”, “oculist”, or “ophthalmologist”.

Structure Maryland Statutes