Dental Office
Pre-Listening
What are some reasons why people dislike going to the dentist?
Listen and Read
Listen to the recording about dental care, answer the questions, and then read along with the audio recording.
Listening Quiz
Select the best answer for each question, then press Check Answers.
Use arrow keys to choose between options within each question.
1. The man visits the dentist every ______ months.
2. The man’s insurance covers most expenses except ______.
Every six months, I visit my dentist for a regular dental check-up. At the dentist’s office, a dental assistant will bring me into one of their private patient rooms and x-ray my teeth and gums to detect any problems inside my teeth. Then, the dentist reviews the x-rays and visually inspects my teeth to check to see if I have any dental problems like cavities. If he sees any cavities, he will clean and fill them. Of course, he will first give me a shot so I don’t feel any pain*.
After that, the dental assistant will clean my teeth by removing any plaque buildup on my teeth. Plaque contains bacteria that can damage your teeth. The assistant will also polish and floss my teeth at the end. I will also have the dentist whiten my teeth this time using a special procedure in his office. My dental insurance covers part of the cost of dental cleaning and teeth fillings, but it doesn’t cover non-essential procedures like tooth whitening.
*He will anesthetize my gums so I don’t feel any pain during the procedure.
Vocabulary and Expressions From the Video
- toothpaste (noun): a paste or gel used with a toothbrush to clean teeth
- She squeezed a small amount of toothpaste onto her toothbrush before brushing.
- dental floss (noun): a thin thread used to clean between teeth
- The dentist reminded him to use dental floss every day to remove food from between his teeth.
- particles (noun): very small pieces or bits of something
- Brushing after meals helps remove food particles that can cause cavities.
- tooth whitening kit (noun): a product used at home to make teeth look whiter and brighter
- She used a tooth whitening kit for two weeks before her wedding to brighten her smile.
- rinse (verb): to wash something with water or liquid, usually to clean or remove something
- After brushing, he made sure to rinse his mouth out with water.
- rinse (noun): a liquid used to clean or treat the mouth
- She used a minty rinse after brushing to keep her breath fresh.
- bathroom (noun, US usage): the room in a home where you brush your teeth, shower, and use the toilet
- She keeps all of her dental care products in the bathroom.
- medicine cabinet (noun): a small storage cabinet, usually in the bathroom, used to store personal care and health products
- He grabbed his toothpaste from the medicine cabinet above the sink.
Discussion
Visiting a dentist can be a different experience from office to office and from country to country. Describe one of your experiences to the dentist. Is there any reason why you might hesitate going to visit a dentist?
Role Play
Imagine that you have one or more of these problems. With a partner, play the role of a patient. Describe the problem, discuss when the issue started, and ask your partner questions. Your partner takes the role of the dentist or dental assistant.
Online Investigation
Tooth whitening is becoming a popular way of improving one’s appearance, but not all tooth whitening procedures and products are the same. In fact, you can have it done at a dentist’s office, or you can do it at home in some cases. Use the internet to identify at least two different types of procedures or products and discuss their advantages and disadvantages of each.
Online Listening Practice (from www.esl-lab.com and trainyouraccent.com):
- Friendly Dental Care: Listening Conversation
- Dental Care: Pronunciation