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
Adjective
Insurers compete for patients by offering benefits, including vision and dental care that aren’t available in traditional fee-for-service Medicare. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 23 Nov. 2023 Black notices can include information on where the body was found, biometric information including DNA and fingerprints, dental charts, physical descriptions of the body or clothing, and other items found at the scene. Rachel Pannett, Washington Post, 15 Nov. 2023 Getty Images With companies looking to cut costs in a high-inflation landscape, a bevy of employee perks that saw a rise during the hypercompetitive post-pandemic job market is on the chopping block, including tuition assistance, charitable gift matching, and even dental insurance. Irina Ivanova, Fortune, 15 Nov. 2023 Services include primary care, pediatrics, women's health, dental care, behavioral health and physical therapy, according to the Community Clinic website. Al Gaspeny, arkansasonline.com, 10 Nov. 2023 Set your expectations Generally, gold buyers like Alloy Market and Express Gold Cash will buy gold in multiple forms, from old dental crowns to jewelry to gold coins. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2023 Scott has a business plan to renovate food trucks into mobile dental labs for those living on the streets. Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2023 However, visiting the dentist while expecting for preventative care and exams is safe and recommended, particularly as poor dental health can lead to serious complications, such as premature birth. Alexandra Frost, Parents, 1 Nov. 2023 Veterans must request an appointment for dental care services by emailing Gina Chandler at the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs at gina.chandler@arkansas.gov or calling (501) 682-6487. Arkansas Online, 1 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dental.' 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

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

Dictionary Entries Near dental

Cite this Entry

“Dental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dental. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.

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
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