A pen-like dispenser for dispensing a dental material has a handle and a cover which are attached for rotation relative to each other about a longitudinal axis of the dispenser, and a cartridge for holding the dental material and a screw plunger for extruding the dental material from the cartridge by screwing action. The cartridge and the cover in combination form a rotary slide valve which is operable by rotation about the longitudinal axis between a storage position, in which the cover closes a dispensing outlet of the cartridge, and a dispensing position, in which an opening in the cover opens the dispensing outlet of the cartridge. A relative rotation between the screw plunger and the handle about the longitudinal axis is restricted, and a relative rotation between the cartridge and the cover about the longitudinal axis is enabled within a predetermined rotation angle and restricted otherwise.