Okla. Stat. tit. 59, § 59-725.2
This is the official text of Okla. Stat. tit. 59, § 59-725.2, part of Oklahoma’s Stat. tit. 59, — part of the compiled statutory law of Oklahoma, published by the state as "Stat. tit. 59,." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Designations to be used and by whom
Official statutory text
A. The following ten classes of persons may use the word
"Doctor", or an abbreviation thereof, and shall have the right to
use, whether or not in conjunction with the word "Doctor", or any
abbreviation thereof, the following designations:
1. The letters "D.P.M." or the words podiatrist, doctor of
podiatry, podiatric surgeon, or doctor of podiatric medicine by a
person licensed to practice podiatry under the Podiatric Medicine
Practice Act;
2. The letters "D.C." or the words chiropractor or doctor of
chiropractic by a person licensed to practice chiropractic under the
Oklahoma Chiropractic Practice Act;
3. The letters "D.D.S." or "D.M.D.", as appropriate, or the
words dentist, doctor of dental surgery, or doctor of dental
medicine, as appropriate, by a person licensed to practice dentistry
under the State Dental Act;
4. The letters "M.D." or the words surgeon, medical doctor, or
doctor of medicine by a person licensed to practice medicine and
surgery under the Oklahoma Allopathic Medical and Surgical Licensure
and Supervision Act;
5. The letters "O.D." or the words optometrist or doctor of
optometry by a person licensed to practice optometry under Sections
581 through 606 of this title;
6. The letters "D.O." or the words surgeon, osteopathic
surgeon, osteopath, doctor of osteopathy, or doctor of osteopathic
medicine by a person licensed to practice osteopathy under the
Oklahoma Osteopathic Medicine Act;
7. The letters "Ph.D.", "Ed.D.", or "Psy.D." or the words
psychologist, therapist, or counselor by a person licensed as a
health service psychologist pursuant to the Psychologists Licensing
Act;
8. The letters "Ph.D.", "Ed.D.", or other letters representing
a doctoral degree or the words language pathologist, speech
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations Page 695
pathologist, or speech and language pathologist by a person licensed
as a speech and language pathologist pursuant to the Speech-Language
Pathology and Audiology Licensing Act and who has earned a doctoral
degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning
in the field of speech and language pathology;
9. The letters "Ph.D.", "Ed.D.", or other letters representing
a doctoral degree or the word audiologist by a person licensed as an
audiologist pursuant to the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
Licensing Act and who has earned a doctoral degree from a regionally
accredited institution of higher learning in the field of audiology;
and
10. The letters "D.P.T." or the title Doctor of Physical
Therapy by a person licensed to practice physical therapy under the
Physical Therapy Practice Act who has earned a Doctor of Physical
Therapy degree from a program approved by a national accrediting
body recognized by the State Board of Medical Licensure and
Supervision.
B. Unless otherwise specifically provided in a particular
section or chapter of the Oklahoma Statutes, the word "doctor" or
"doctors" shall mean and include each of the ten classes of persons
listed in subsection A and the word "physician" or "physicians", as
provided in subsection C of this section. Any other person using
the term doctor, or any abbreviation thereof, shall designate the
authority under which the title is used or the college or honorary
degree that gives rise to use of the title.
C. Unless otherwise specifically provided in a particular
section or chapter of the Oklahoma Statutes, the word "physician" or
"physicians" shall mean and include each of the classes of persons
listed in paragraphs 1 through 6 of subsection A of this section and
the word "doctor" or "doctors" as provided in subsection B of this
section. The term "physician" shall not include any person
specified in paragraphs 7 through 10 of subsection A of this section
unless such person is otherwise authorized to use such designation
pursuant to this section.
D. For purposes of this section, "provider" means and includes:
ough 6 of subsection A of this section and
the word "doctor" or "doctors" as provided in subsection B of this
section. The term "physician" shall not include any person
specified in paragraphs 7 through 10 of subsection A of this section
unless such person is otherwise authorized to use such designation
pursuant to this section.
D. For purposes of this section, "provider" means and includes:
l. Each of the ten classes of persons listed in subsection A of
this section and referred to in subsections B and C of this section;
and
2. Any other person using the term doctor or any abbreviation
thereof.
E. Persons in each of the ten classes listed in subsection A of
this section, and referred to in subsections B and C of this section
shall identify through written notice, which may include the wearing
of a name tag, the type of license under which the doctor is
practicing, utilizing the designations provided in subsections A, B
and C of this section. Each applicable licensing board is
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations Page 696
authorized by rule to determine how its license holders may comply
with this disclosure requirement.
F. 1. Any advertisement for health care services naming a
provider shall:
a. identify the type of license of the doctor utilizing
the letters or words set forth in this section if the
person is one of the classes of persons listed in
subsection A of this section, and referred to in
subsections B and C of this section, or
b. utilize appropriate, accepted, and easily understood
words or letters, which clearly show and indicate the
branch of the healing art in which the person is
licensed to practice and is engaged in, if the person
is not one of the ten classes of persons listed in
subsection A of this section, or referred to in
subsections B and C of this section.
2. The term "advertisement" includes any printed document
including letterhead, video clip, or audio clip created by, for, or
at the direction of the provider or providers and advertised for the
purpose of promoting the services of the doctor or provider.
G. 1. It shall be unlawful for any medical doctor, doctor of
osteopathic medicine, doctor of dental surgery, doctor of dental
medicine, doctor of optometry, doctor of podiatry, or doctor of
chiropractic to make any deceptive or misleading statement, or
engage in any deceptive or misleading act, that deceives or misleads
the public or a prospective or current patient, regarding the
training and the license under which the person is authorized to
practice.
2. The term "deceptive or misleading statement or act"
includes, but is not limited to:
a. such statement or act in any advertising medium,
b. making a false statement regarding the education,
skills, training, or licensure of a person, or
c. in any other way describing the profession, skills,
training, expertise, education, or licensure of a
person in a fashion that causes the public, a
potential patient, or current patient to believe that
the person is a medical doctor, doctor of osteopathic
medicine, doctor of dental surgery, doctor of dental
medicine, doctor of optometry, doctor of podiatry, or
doctor of chiropractic when that person does not hold
such credentials.
H. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a
person licensed in this state to perform speech pathology or
audiology services is designated to be a practitioner of the healing
art for purposes of making a referral for speech pathology or
audiology services pursuant to the provisions of the Individuals
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations Page 697
with Disabilities Education Act, Amendment of 1997, Public Law 105-
17, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
"Doctor", or an abbreviation thereof, and shall have the right to
use, whether or not in conjunction with the word "Doctor", or any
abbreviation thereof, the following designations:
1. The letters "D.P.M." or the words podiatrist, doctor of
podiatry, podiatric surgeon, or doctor of podiatric medicine by a
person licensed to practice podiatry under the Podiatric Medicine
Practice Act;
2. The letters "D.C." or the words chiropractor or doctor of
chiropractic by a person licensed to practice chiropractic under the
Oklahoma Chiropractic Practice Act;
3. The letters "D.D.S." or "D.M.D.", as appropriate, or the
words dentist, doctor of dental surgery, or doctor of dental
medicine, as appropriate, by a person licensed to practice dentistry
under the State Dental Act;
4. The letters "M.D." or the words surgeon, medical doctor, or
doctor of medicine by a person licensed to practice medicine and
surgery under the Oklahoma Allopathic Medical and Surgical Licensure
and Supervision Act;
5. The letters "O.D." or the words optometrist or doctor of
optometry by a person licensed to practice optometry under Sections
581 through 606 of this title;
6. The letters "D.O." or the words surgeon, osteopathic
surgeon, osteopath, doctor of osteopathy, or doctor of osteopathic
medicine by a person licensed to practice osteopathy under the
Oklahoma Osteopathic Medicine Act;
7. The letters "Ph.D.", "Ed.D.", or "Psy.D." or the words
psychologist, therapist, or counselor by a person licensed as a
health service psychologist pursuant to the Psychologists Licensing
Act;
8. The letters "Ph.D.", "Ed.D.", or other letters representing
a doctoral degree or the words language pathologist, speech
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations Page 695
pathologist, or speech and language pathologist by a person licensed
as a speech and language pathologist pursuant to the Speech-Language
Pathology and Audiology Licensing Act and who has earned a doctoral
degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning
in the field of speech and language pathology;
9. The letters "Ph.D.", "Ed.D.", or other letters representing
a doctoral degree or the word audiologist by a person licensed as an
audiologist pursuant to the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
Licensing Act and who has earned a doctoral degree from a regionally
accredited institution of higher learning in the field of audiology;
and
10. The letters "D.P.T." or the title Doctor of Physical
Therapy by a person licensed to practice physical therapy under the
Physical Therapy Practice Act who has earned a Doctor of Physical
Therapy degree from a program approved by a national accrediting
body recognized by the State Board of Medical Licensure and
Supervision.
B. Unless otherwise specifically provided in a particular
section or chapter of the Oklahoma Statutes, the word "doctor" or
"doctors" shall mean and include each of the ten classes of persons
listed in subsection A and the word "physician" or "physicians", as
provided in subsection C of this section. Any other person using
the term doctor, or any abbreviation thereof, shall designate the
authority under which the title is used or the college or honorary
degree that gives rise to use of the title.
C. Unless otherwise specifically provided in a particular
section or chapter of the Oklahoma Statutes, the word "physician" or
"physicians" shall mean and include each of the classes of persons
listed in paragraphs 1 through 6 of subsection A of this section and
the word "doctor" or "doctors" as provided in subsection B of this
section. The term "physician" shall not include any person
specified in paragraphs 7 through 10 of subsection A of this section
unless such person is otherwise authorized to use such designation
pursuant to this section.
D. For purposes of this section, "provider" means and includes:
ough 6 of subsection A of this section and
the word "doctor" or "doctors" as provided in subsection B of this
section. The term "physician" shall not include any person
specified in paragraphs 7 through 10 of subsection A of this section
unless such person is otherwise authorized to use such designation
pursuant to this section.
D. For purposes of this section, "provider" means and includes:
l. Each of the ten classes of persons listed in subsection A of
this section and referred to in subsections B and C of this section;
and
2. Any other person using the term doctor or any abbreviation
thereof.
E. Persons in each of the ten classes listed in subsection A of
this section, and referred to in subsections B and C of this section
shall identify through written notice, which may include the wearing
of a name tag, the type of license under which the doctor is
practicing, utilizing the designations provided in subsections A, B
and C of this section. Each applicable licensing board is
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations Page 696
authorized by rule to determine how its license holders may comply
with this disclosure requirement.
F. 1. Any advertisement for health care services naming a
provider shall:
a. identify the type of license of the doctor utilizing
the letters or words set forth in this section if the
person is one of the classes of persons listed in
subsection A of this section, and referred to in
subsections B and C of this section, or
b. utilize appropriate, accepted, and easily understood
words or letters, which clearly show and indicate the
branch of the healing art in which the person is
licensed to practice and is engaged in, if the person
is not one of the ten classes of persons listed in
subsection A of this section, or referred to in
subsections B and C of this section.
2. The term "advertisement" includes any printed document
including letterhead, video clip, or audio clip created by, for, or
at the direction of the provider or providers and advertised for the
purpose of promoting the services of the doctor or provider.
G. 1. It shall be unlawful for any medical doctor, doctor of
osteopathic medicine, doctor of dental surgery, doctor of dental
medicine, doctor of optometry, doctor of podiatry, or doctor of
chiropractic to make any deceptive or misleading statement, or
engage in any deceptive or misleading act, that deceives or misleads
the public or a prospective or current patient, regarding the
training and the license under which the person is authorized to
practice.
2. The term "deceptive or misleading statement or act"
includes, but is not limited to:
a. such statement or act in any advertising medium,
b. making a false statement regarding the education,
skills, training, or licensure of a person, or
c. in any other way describing the profession, skills,
training, expertise, education, or licensure of a
person in a fashion that causes the public, a
potential patient, or current patient to believe that
the person is a medical doctor, doctor of osteopathic
medicine, doctor of dental surgery, doctor of dental
medicine, doctor of optometry, doctor of podiatry, or
doctor of chiropractic when that person does not hold
such credentials.
H. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a
person licensed in this state to perform speech pathology or
audiology services is designated to be a practitioner of the healing
art for purposes of making a referral for speech pathology or
audiology services pursuant to the provisions of the Individuals
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations Page 697
with Disabilities Education Act, Amendment of 1997, Public Law 105-
17, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Oklahoma?
Find a Oklahoma lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.