Vocabulary Lessons

Although many people don’t like the experience, visiting a dentist regularly is one of the best ways to take care of your teeth. In addition to cleanings, more and more dentists are offering additional care including tooth whitening and orthodontic treatments like braces. You can find other dental services or other practices around the world that are meeting the medical needs of patients. Listen to the words below and consult a dictionary if you need a definition. Write a sample sentence for each word to learn how it is used in context. You can use the Internet to find related information.

A. Listen to the recording and answer the questions.

1. brush your teeth
2. family dental plan
3. fill a cavity
4. get a dental cleaning
5. get fillings put in
6. have a dental checkup
7. have a dental exam
8. have an x-ray
9. have braces
10. have dental insurance
11. have your wisdom teeth pulled
12. remove tartar buildup
13. set up a dental appointment
14. sit in the waiting room
15. talk with an orthodontist
16. talk with the dental assistant
17. use dental floss
18. use tooth whitening
19. use toothpaste
20. visit the dentist

Discuss with a partner a past experience at a dentist. Why did you go? What procedures did you have done? Then, use the Internet to locate a dentist in your area. Consider calling to see how much a dental exam would cost. Also, would you have any hesitation to visit a dentist in a foreign country? Why or why not?