dental

1 of 2

adjective

den·​tal ˈden-tᵊl 

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

ˈden-tᵊl-ē 

adverb

dental

2 of 2

noun

: a dental consonant

Examples of dental in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Bags are sanded with the same buffing pads used to finish cars; small details, like the inlays for the chain pendants to click into, call for dental tools. —Leah Faye Cooper, Vogue, 28 Oct. 2024

There’s also a working dentist set that lets oral hygiene enthusiasts blast dental stains away. —Chaunie Brusie, Rn, Parents, 25 Oct. 2024

While the occasional pouch can be part of a healthy diet, doctors and nutritionists are raising concerns that an overreliance on pouches can interfere with nutrition, long-term food preferences, dental hygiene and even speech and language development. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024

Vivas is accused of practicing dentistry and dental surgery without a license issued by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners, according to court documents. —Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2024

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

Phrases Containing dental

• dental floss
• dental hygienist
• dental records
• dental school
• dental technician

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 

1

: relating to, specializing in, or used in dentistry

dental surgery

dental students

2

: relating to or used on the teeth

dental paste

dentally

-ē 

adverb