dentistry

IPA/ˈdentɪstri/
KK[dˈɛntɪstri]IPA/ˈdentɪstri/

dentistry — noun

1. the job of a dentist — examining, cleaning, filling, and removing teeth, and fit

1.nounB2
Definition

the job of a dentist — examining, cleaning, filling, and removing teeth, and fitting artificial ones to replace lost teeth

Example

Jiwoo has been practicing dentistry in a small town for over twenty years.

collocation: practice dentistry

Many dental clinics now offer cosmetic dentistry alongside basic checkups and fillings.

cosmetic dentistry — a sub-specialty

Common collocations
  • practice dentistry
  • general dentistry
  • cosmetic dentistry
  • pediatric dentistry
  • pursue dentistry
  • modern dentistry
Synonyms
  • dental practice

    focuses on the actual clinical work a dentist does, not the profession as a whole

  • dental surgery

    narrower — emphasizes surgical procedures rather than all aspects of dental care

Grammar Patterns

practice dentistry

in + dentistry

Usage Note

This sense refers to dentistry as a career or practical activity. Frequently used with the verb practice or pursue.

Common Mistakes

I want to study dentistry to become a dentistry.
I want to study dentistry to become a dentist.
dentistry is the field of study or profession; a dentist is the person who does the job.

2. the field of medicine that explores the structure, growth, diseases, and treatme

2.nounB2
Definition

the field of medicine that explores the structure, growth, diseases, and treatment of the teeth, gums, and mouth

Example

Professor Folake teaches restorative dentistry at the university's medical school.

restorative dentistry — a sub-field of study

Research in dentistry has led to new ways of preventing cavities without drilling.

Research in dentistry — academic investigation

Common collocations
  • study dentistry
  • degree in dentistry
  • school of dentistry
  • dentistry program
  • dentistry department
  • research in dentistry
Synonyms
  • dental medicine

    more formal term, commonly used in academic and institutional settings

  • dental science

    emphasizes the research and scientific knowledge behind dental treatment

Grammar Patterns

study dentistry

degree in dentistry

Common Mistakes

She is studying a dentistry at the university.
She is studying dentistry at the university.
dentistry is uncountable, so it does not take the article a or an.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All three terms relate to the academic and clinical study of oral health, but they emphasise different aspects. Dental medicine is the broadest synonym for dentistry, commonly used in formal academic contexts (e.g. 'Harvard School of Dental Medicine') and stresses the medical-scientific foundation of the field. Dental science foregrounds research and biology — it is the term you see in journal titles and lab names. Dental surgery is narrower, focusing specifically on surgical procedures such as extractions, implants, and jaw corrections, rather than the full range of prevention and care. For everyday use, dentistry remains the most natural choice; dental medicine appears primarily in official degree titles, while dental science suits research discussions.

dental medicinedental sciencedental surgery

Common collocations

Nouns

  • dentistry school
  • dentistry degree
  • dentistry clinic
  • dentistry department

Phrases

  • practice dentistry
  • study dentistry
  • pursue dentistry

Prepositions

  • in dentistry
  • of dentistry

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word dentistry comes from dentist, which was borrowed from French dentiste in the 18th century. The French word was built from Latin dens (genitive dentis) meaning 'tooth', combined with the suffix -ist for a person who does something, and later English added the suffix -ry to name the field or practice. So dentistry literally means 'the work of a tooth specialist'.