Abstract: A dental tool includes an articulated tubular body member having proximal and distal sections angularly adjustable about an elbow housing. An axial drive shaft is located in the proximal section and a slide member is reciprocable in the distal section and spring urged to a retracted position and coupled to the drive shaft by a rotary to reciprocatory motion translator. The motion translator includes an actuator located in the elbow section and limited to a rocking motion and rotatably engaging an eccentric projection forwardly from the shaft at an angle thereto and a connecting rod having spherical ends which respectively engage a mating gripping socket in the actuator eccentric to the pin and a mating gripping socket at the rear of the slide member. A tool holding chuck is carried by the distal end of the slide member. In a modified form the retractor spring is omitted and the connecting rod is coupled to the slide member by a rack and pinion.