its still safe to ride right? i put a dent on the sidewall the width of a quarter. the wheel needs truing but just making sure if its still safe to ride cuz something about aluminum and denting..

Why don't you take it into your LBS so they can look at it? They'll give a much better, and safer, opinion than any of us over the internet, with no pics, and no way to tell if the wheel has been compromised...