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

Examples of financial situation changes include job loss, significant pay cuts, high out-of-pocket medical or dental costs, divorce or a family member becoming unemployed. — Amy Deyoung, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026

The college has also had 100% exam passage rates in programs such as dental hygiene, respiratory therapy, vision care and law enforcement. — Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 22 Aug. 2026

At present, more than 30 of the state’s 116 community colleges offer bachelor’s degrees in subjects including respiratory care, dental hygiene and mortuary science. — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Advantage members could still face higher premiums, copayments, and other costs, along with reduced supplemental benefits such as dental, hearing and vision coverage. — Bob Carlson, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 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