| Level: | Topic: | Type: | Speakers: | Length: |
| difficult | dental hygiene | conversation | two men | 01:32 |
Pre-Listening Exercise
What are some reasons for visiting a dentist (e.g., tooth whitening, dental cleaning, orthodontics, invisalign braces, tooth fillings)? Name some common dental problems and possible preventative care for each.
Idioms
“be on edge” = nervous
“My kids are a little on edge because they have an appointment with the dentist.”
“couldn’t sleep a wink” = not able to sleep well
“My daughter couldn’t sleep a wink last night because she was so worried about getting her teeth checked.”
Listening Exercise
A. Listen to the recording and answer the questions.
The man is visiting the dentist to have _______.
Patient: Well, I just came in for a check up and a dental cleaning.
The dentist discovers ______.
Dentist: Well, besides a lot of plaque buildup, there is a major cavity in one of your wisdom teeth. [I feel that.] Hasn't this given you any trouble?
The man feels discomfort when ____.
Patient: Well, the tooth has been bothering me, and it sometimes hurts when I drink something cold. Does it look that bad?
The dentist recommends _____.
Dentist: Or as a last resort, we may have to extract the tooth.
The dentist is going to use _______ to minimize the patient's pain.
Patient: Nah, Nah, nah! Put me under (with nitrous oxide)! [I thought so.] I can't stand pain, and I'd rather not be aware of what's going on. And, if I need a filling, can I get one that looks like my other teeth?
Post-Listening Exercise
How important is a nice smile in finding a good job or attracting a partner? What dental procedures are available to improve your teeth and smile? Are such procedures worth the cost? Compare different dentists or whitening methods to find the best service. Explain your reasons.
Online Investigation
Receiving proper dental care is essential for good health, but having access to this care isn’t available to all people around the world. Use the Internet to identify and find out information about at least two volunteer organizations that provide free dental care to people in need.
- What is the name of the organization?
- When was it first created?
- What types of dental procedures do they provide and how is the organization funded?
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