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
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Adjective
Maggio will help shape dental policy and regulations and represent the interests of dentists, hygienists and patients from the northern region of the United States, a news release said. Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2025 And passengers in first and business class on its long-haul flights will walk away with skin care products from U.K. luxury brand Bamford, as well as signature products such as a dental kit, earplugs, a cooling body gel and a sleep mask. Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 18 June 2025 Aspiring dental professionals must showcase a blend of strong academics, relevant experiences, and a genuine passion for dentistry. Kristen Moon, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025 However, it was noted that the victim had a low resting heart rate, dental phobia and had a history of fainting, which the complaint said Watkins did not investigate or document. Stepheny Price , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for dental

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

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Cite this Entry

“Dental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dental. Accessed 23 Jun. 2025.

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

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