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

Researchers examining the teeth of the Tsavo man-eating lions of the late 1890s found impacted human hair as well as evidence of poor dental hygiene and injuries that may have driven the lions to hunt humans. —Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025

Capital Area Dental Foundation, the Austin Founder Lions Club and America's Best provided dental and vision care for the families. —Nicole Villalpando, Austin American-Statesman, 1 Jan. 2025

Standout benefits: Spot’s wellness plan starts 24 hours after purchase and includes spaying/neutering and dental treatments, which many other pet insurers exclude. —Liz Knueven, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2024

Lehman campaigned on prioritizing public education and teachers, supporting Kentucky workers and improving access to medical, dental and mental health treatment. —Hannah Pinski, The Courier-Journal, 31 Dec. 2024

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

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