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 Despite affirmative action at predominantly white schools, at least 70 percent of the Black doctors and dentists in America attended an H.B.C.U. H.B.C.U.s also have produced half of the Black lawyers, 40 percent of Black engineers and a quarter of Black graduates in STEM fields. Nikole Hannah-Jones, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 The latter is a dentist, has a three-year-old son and is about to give birth to her second child. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 10 Mar. 2024 Pell plays Gloria, who gave up music to become a dentist. Michael Schneider, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024 To find the best teeth whitening products for you, consider these recommendations vetted by dentists. Macaela MacKenzie, Glamour, 29 Feb. 2024 Vivian, a poet and cultural activist, worked with the Harris County Community Association in the city, and Andrew was a dentist there. Ilana Frost, Peoplemag, 25 Feb. 2024 Patients will have a lot of questions for dentists, who may have a hard time convincing them, said Mahesh. Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 2 Feb. 2024 On the other side of the spectrum are jobs including dentists, engineers, and veterinarians. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2024 Many centers are short-staffed and struggling to compete for doctors, mental health professionals, nurses and dentists. Devi Shastri The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 28 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dentist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near dentist

Cite this Entry

“Dentist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dentist. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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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