Definition

1. Noun:
   • The professional work or business of a dentist: This refers to the activity, occupation, or establishment where a dentist provides oral healthcare services.
   • The exercise of the profession of dentistry: This encompasses the application of skills, knowledge, and procedures related to dental care.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • She joined a large dental practice in the city center after graduating.
  • Running a successful dental practice requires both clinical skill and business acumen.
  • The new regulations will affect how we manage our dental practice.

Advanced Usage

• "to set up/establish a dental practice": To start one's own business as a dentist.
  • After years of working for others, he decided to set up his own dental practice.
• "a family/general/specialist dental practice": Describing the type or focus of the dental business.
  • This is a specialist dental practice focusing on orthodontics.

Variants and Related Words

• Dentistry (n): The profession or science of oral health and care.
  • He studied dentistry for five years.
• Dental clinic (n): A place where dental treatment is given, often similar to a practice but can imply a specific setting (e.g., within a hospital).
• Dental office (n): Commonly used synonym in American English for a dentist's place of work.

Synonyms

• Dentist's office: The premises where a dentist works.
• Dental surgery: (Common in British English) The place or practice of a dentist.

Related Phrases

• Practice management: The business administration of running a dental practice.
  • She took a course in practice management.
• Private practice: A practice owned and run by the dentist(s), not part of a public health system.
  • He works in a private practice.

Notes on Meaning

The term "dental practice" specifically refers to the professional entity or activity. It is not used to describe the act of practicing a dental procedure (e.g., "the dental practice of flossing" is incorrect; use "the practice of flossing" instead). It is a compound noun where "dental" functions as an adjective modifying the core noun "practice."

Noun

1. the practice of dentistry