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
The use of fluoride in the U.S. has been a successful public health initiative for reducing dental cavities and improving general oral health since 1945, according to the National Institutes of Health. Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 1 May 2025 Scientists have also found traces of plants with antibacterial and pain-relieving properties in Neanderthals’ dental plaque. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Apr. 2025 Louise dropped out of the writing program to go back to Ohio, care for her dying mother, and work at that dental office. Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025 Also inside the terminal are several play areas, beauty salons, a dental center, an eye clinic, and a gym. Lottie Gross, AFAR Media, 25 Apr. 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 6 May. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on dental

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