What it means
دندانپزشک (dandânpezeshk) means “dentist,” literally “tooth doctor.” It is a native Persian compound: دندان (dandân, “tooth”) combined with پزشک (pezeshk, “doctor” or “physician”), which is itself a pure Persian word. The compound follows a common Persian pattern for naming medical specialists, similar to چشمپزشک (chashmpezeshk, ophthalmologist, literally “eye doctor”) and گوشپزشک (gushpezeshk, ear specialist). In older or more colloquial speech you may encounter دندانساز (dandânsâz, literally “tooth maker”), which historically referred to a dental technician or informal tooth-fixer, though today دندانپزشک is the standard and formal professional title.
How to use it
- باید برم پیش دندانپزشک. (bâyad beram pishe dandânpezeshk.) “I need to go to the dentist.”
- دندانپزشکم گفت باید یه دندونم رو بکشه. (dandânpezeshkam goft bâyad ye dandânam ro bekeshe.) “My dentist said he needs to pull one of my teeth.”
- دندانپزشک خوب سراغ داری؟ (dandânpezeshke khub sarâgh dâri?) “Do you know of a good dentist?”
- نوبت دندانپزشک گرفتم برای فردا. (nobate dandânpezeshk gereftam barâye fardâ.) “I made a dentist appointment for tomorrow.”
Cultural note
Dental care is widely valued in Iran, and دندانپزشکی (dandânpezeshki, dentistry) is one of the most competitive university entrance paths, requiring very high scores on the national university entrance exam (کنکور, konkur). Private dental clinics are common in Iranian cities, and dental tourism, particularly from neighboring countries, has grown in recent years due to the relatively lower cost of high-quality dental work in Iran. The phrase رفتن پیش دندانپزشک (going to the dentist) is used in everyday conversation exactly as in English.