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

According to the attorney’s office, the victim’s mother met with Villanueva over the dental exam abuse, after which Villanueva did not report the incident to police, violating Arizona’s Mandatory Reporting law. — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 19 July 2026

The child died from an overdose of the opioid pain medication Demerol during a dental procedure. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 17 July 2026

Police said months of interviews with witnesses, medical experts and state dental investigators led to her recent arrest. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 17 July 2026

In addition to collaborating on the Artists Living With Cancer Grant, the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation also offers $5,000 medical emergency grants for artists with medical or dental emergencies. — News Desk, Artforum, 16 July 2026

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

Rhymes for dental

• ental
• gentle
• lentil
• mental
• rental
• accidental
• compartmental
• continental
• detrimental
• elemental
• fundamental
• governmental

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