dentist
Americannoun
-
dentists
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of dentist
1750–60; < French dentiste, equivalent to dent tooth ( see dent 2) + -iste -ist
Explanation
A dentist is a doctor who specializes in teeth, gums, and the mouth. If you get a bad toothache, you should probably go to the dentist to make sure you don't have a cavity. When you visit the dentist, you might have your teeth and gums examined and cleaned, or you may need surgery for an impacted wisdom tooth or x-rays to make sure you don't have cavities. Dentists are health care professionals who attend dental school and train for several years before practicing. Dentist comes from the French dentiste, from dent. or "tooth."
Vocabulary lists containing dentist
Body Language: Dent, Dont ("Tooth")
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ist
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Also having just come from the dentist, I was looking forward to a cold and soft lunch, and Bristol Farms’ is pretty decent.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
In France, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stood behind Trump looking like a kid going to the dentist, or a babysitter who doesn’t want the gig.
From Salon ● Jun. 19, 2026
Overhearing them, the dentist left a patient in the chair to regale them with his market winnings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
For Rusty's next trip, he is going to the dentist with her.
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026
Yesterday at lunchtime I had an appointment with the dentist on Jan Luykenstraat.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
In the United States, dentists have used it off-label since 2014, when it was approved as a medical device for reducing tooth sensitivity.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 29, 2026
Meanwhile, there are efforts to overcome a behind-the-scenes barrier between doctors and dentists: records systems.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
He added there was a recognition community facilities were needed in the new housing plans, but adding the likes of doctors, dentists or shops were dependent on private businesses or the NHS.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
"We get requests for everything, even dentists, everyone is calling us and asking if they can have a robot as a supporter, because they can't find people," chief executive David Reger told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026
They were the doctors and dentists and teach- ers and bankers and landowners.
From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
