dental

1 of 2

adjective

den·​tal ˈden-tᵊl How to pronounce dental (audio)
1
: of or relating to the teeth or dentistry
2
: articulated with the tip or blade of the tongue against or near the upper front teeth
dentally adverb

dental

2 of 2

noun

: a dental consonant

Examples of dental in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The cost of dental care for families will soar and there will be lost productivity due to time off to address dental disease. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 May 2025 This is critical for the millions of Americans who struggle to access dental care. Matt Fuchs, Time, 14 May 2025 Facing a deadline as the regular legislative session ends in three weeks, Ritter and other top lawmakers are trying to reach a compromise on the state’s two-year, $55.5 billion budget that pays for everything from dental care for prison inmates to salaries for more than 50,000 state employees. Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2025 Gargling with hydrogen peroxide mouthwash has been used as a treatment for dental plaque, gingival (gum) inflammation, and oral microorganisms. Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 12 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for dental

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin dentalis, from dent-, dens

First Known Use

Adjective

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

circa 1727, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dental was in 1594

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dental. Accessed 19 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

dental

adjective
den·​tal
ˈdent-ᵊl
: of or relating to the teeth or dentistry
Etymology

Adjective

from Latin dentalis "relating to the teeth," from dent-, dens "tooth" — related to dandelion, indent, trident

Medical Definition

dental

adjective
den·​tal ˈdent-ᵊl How to pronounce dental (audio)
1
: relating to, specializing in, or used in dentistry
dental surgery
dental students
2
: relating to or used on the teeth
dental paste
dentally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on dental

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!