In one embodiment, a dental bur includes a proximal shank, an intermediate cutting section, and a smooth, rounded distal tip. The cutting section includes (i) a frustum-shaped portion connected at its larger-diameter end to the shank and (ii) a curved portion that provides a transition between the smaller-diameter end of the frustum-shaped portion and the rounded tip, where the outer surfaces of the frustum-shaped portion and the curved portion are both sufficiently abrasive to remove bone tissue due to the presence of surface grit and/or flutes that provide bone-cutting edges. The dental bur reduces and flattens the bone tissue of the maxillary and mandibular bones for surgical dental implants without unwanted soft tissue damage.