Is there a doctor in the house?

We've been mystified by the nameplates we've seen in local offices/places of business: it's almost universal that the title "Doctor" is used.  I finally broke down and asked our friend Antonio about this.  He laughed and agreed that everyone is called "Dr. So-and-so," but it took quite some time and work to elicit the fact that people with bachelor's degrees may be properly given the honorific.

He, in his turn, was surprised by how it works in the engineering field -- in the US, your title doesn't change regardless of your education (except in academia or those who can come across as a bit pretentious), but if you pass the engineering exam, you put "P.E." after your name.  In Italy, you are "Dottore Ingegnere" unless you pass the official exam -- at which point, you are just plain "Ingegnere."

I guess it's better not to be a doctor if you're in Italy?

Love,

Alexandra