dentist

noun

den·​tist ˈden-təst How to pronounce dentist (audio)
: one who is skilled in and licensed to practice the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases, injuries, and malformations of the teeth, jaws, and mouth and who makes and inserts false teeth

Examples of dentist in a Sentence

I saw her at the dentist last week. He goes to the dentist's for a check-up every six months.
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.
Created as part of a murder investigation, the 1993 tape showed a dentist repeatedly grinding a dental mold of the suspect’s teeth into the face and arm of a dead toddler during a post-mortem examination. Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 11 Mar. 2025 Mericle is a dentist who owns Mericle Dentistry on tony St. Simons Island, on the Georgia coast. Kc Baker, People.com, 11 Mar. 2025 Liza Dryer, a 30-year-old Israeli dentist at a coffee shop with her dog, said the Gaza resettlement idea was ideal but would pose problems for Israel. Daniel Estrin, NPR, 11 Mar. 2025 The state ranks last in the nation for the percentage of children who have seen a dentist in the past year, according to a National Survey of Children’s Health. Cindy Krischer Goodman, Orlando Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dentist

Word History

Etymology

French dentiste, from dent

First Known Use

circa 1746, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dentist was circa 1746

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Cite this Entry

“Dentist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dentist. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

dentist

noun
den·​tist ˈdent-əst How to pronounce dentist (audio)
: a professional person who is trained in the care, treatment, and repair of the teeth and the fitting of artificial teeth

Medical Definition

dentist

noun
den·​tist ˈdent-əst How to pronounce dentist (audio)
: a licensed practitioner who is skilled in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases, injuries, and malformations of the teeth, jaws, and mouth and who makes and inserts false teeth

More from Merriam-Webster on dentist

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