Vocabulary Lessons

"Dental Care"

Introduction

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.

Listening Exercise

A. Listen to the recording and answer the questions.

brush your teeth
family dental plan
fill a cavity
get a dental cleaning
get fillings put in
have a dental checkup
have a dental exam
have an x-ray
have braces
have dental insurance
have your wisdom teeth pulled
remove tartar buildup
set up a dental appointment
sit in the waiting room
talk with an orthodontist
talk with the dental assistant
use dental floss
use tooth whitening
use toothpaste
visit the dentist

Practice

You should _________________ at least once a day to remove food between your teeth.

fill a cavity

get fillings put in

use dental floss

My sister now ________ to straighten her teeth. She'll look great once she gets them off.

uses tooth whitening

has a dental exam

wears braces

I'd like to ______ for next Monday at 3:00 p.m. if the dentist is in at that time.

sit in the waiting room

set up a dental appointment

have a family dental plan

Follow-Up Activity

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?

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