Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

dentist

American  
[den-tist] / ˈdɛn tɪst /

noun

  1. a person whose profession is dentistry.


dentist British  
/ ˈdɛntɪst /

noun

  1. a person qualified to practise dentistry

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing dentist

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.

Dentist Dr. Jay Friedman, a longtime crusader against wisdom tooth extraction, pointed this out in a 2007 article in the American Journal of Public Health.

From Salon • May 7, 2024

Dentist Maria Elena Bazzano, 80, said that given her first choice lost, she was voting for something new, even if what that represents "is an unknown," indicating support for Milei.

From Reuters • Nov. 13, 2023

Dentist Edwin “Doc” Brown called the Market a “narrow cow path,” proposing a giant new Market building with a civic auditorium and radio station.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 23, 2023

Dentist leaders are pressing for interim support measures to be put in place until a new contract is implemented.

From BBC • Aug. 8, 2022

Occasionally a car sputtered up the hill from downtown and detoured around the sleeping dogs before parking in front of Peerless Painless Dentist, its driver getting out and walking nervously into the office.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "dentist" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com