A dental drill is a small, high-speed drill used in dentistry to take away decayed tooth material prior to the placing of a dental filling. Dental drills are used in the treatment of dental caries. The term "dental drill" is believed the more conversational form of the term "dental handpiece," although it can also be construed as to include to the power source for one or more handpieces, a "dental engine." "Handpiece are more generic and euphemistic terms for generic dental tools.

Modern dental drills can turn at up to 800,000 rpm, and generally use hard metal alloy bits known as 'burs'. Dental burs come in a huge variety of shapes designed for specific applications. They are frequently made of steel with a tungsten carbide of tungsten carbide entirely. The bur may also have a diamond coating.