Use Poedit to create a DentalCare theme translation from the theme’s actual source template. Keep the DentalCare theme target separate from plugin and customer-authored content, preserve placeholders, and save the files with the correct text-domain and locale names.
Prepare the theme source file#
Download Poedit from its official download page and install the desktop app. This guide uses a local copy of the theme files; a remote connection is not required.
Open the installed DentalCare theme package and inspect its languages directory for the source translation template ending in .pot. The template filename can vary, so do not assume it is called default.pot. If the package has no suitable template, stop and confirm the correct source file with Stronghold Themes rather than translating an unrelated file. Use the DentalCare theme target only; a companion plugin has its own target even when a text-domain name happens to match.
Create a translation catalog#
Open the DentalCare source template in Poedit and create a translation for the intended WordPress locale. The screenshots are archived Poedit and WordPress examples from older interface versions, so button positions and labels may differ in the current app.
Select the exact locale that corresponds to the language you will activate in WordPress. Confirm the locale from the site’s language settings instead of inferring it from a language or country label.
Translate and review the strings#
Translate only the strings owned by the DentalCare theme. Preserve placeholders such as %s, %d, and numbered forms such as %1$s. Keep required links, markup, escaped characters, line breaks, and singular and plural forms intact. Use translator comments or context where the same source text has different meanings. Do not translate Elementor page copy, product descriptions, menus, or form records in a theme language file.
Run Poedit’s available validation checks and review warnings before saving. The screenshots show an older source catalog and are not a current inventory of DentalCare strings.
Save the PO and MO files safely#
Save the editable .po file and its compiled .mo runtime file. Use the DentalCare text domain and the exact WordPress locale in their names: dentalcare-{locale}.po and dentalcare-{locale}.mo. WordPress reads the compiled MO file for PHP theme strings; retain the PO file so you can make and review future edits.
For the standard WordPress theme language location, place the files under wp-content/languages/themes/, not under wp-content/themes/dental-care/. The standard language directory is outside the replaceable theme package, but WordPress-managed translation or language-pack operations can modify files there. Keep separate backups and verify the path and filenames before uploading. Do not treat this location as universally protected from updates.
Set the site language and test#
Open Settings > General > Site Language, choose the matching locale, and save the settings. The screenshot below is an archived WordPress 4.4-era screen; it illustrates the Site Language setting but does not represent the current WordPress interface.
Test representative DentalCare theme strings on the frontend and in relevant administration screens. If a theme update changes the source template, compare the new catalog, review changed and obsolete strings, and regenerate the MO file. For the full theme and content ownership boundaries, see How to translate DentalCare. JavaScript-owned strings may require separate JSON translation files; do not assume that a PO/MO pair covers them automatically.
Related articles
How to translate DentalCare
Choose the WordPress site language, translate supported DentalCare theme strings, and preserve placeholders and plural forms.
How to translate DentalCare with Loco Translate
Use Loco Translate's optional Custom location for theme strings, and keep its files and workflow separate from authored content.
How to update DentalCare safely
Use the bundled Envato Market plugin for ThemeForest or Envato builds when available, or use the update method supplied with your DentalCare package. Keep code-level customizations in a child theme or custom plugin.