Dentist conversation questions

Dentistry

 * If you have a regular dentist, how did you choose that dentist?
 * Do you really think there is much difference between dentists?
 * Do you have check-ups every six months/every year/never?
 * When was your last visit to the dentist's?
 * What is your dentist like?
 * Do they play music in the waiting room? What is it like?
 * If there are magazines, how old are they? What magazines are there?
 * If a colleague had bad breath, how would you go about telling him or her about the problem?

Being a dentist

 * What would you think about a career in dentistry?
 * What do you think would be the positive and negative aspects?
 * What do you think would be the most difficult part of a dentist’s job?

Process

 * How long does the anaesthetic take to wear off after the dentist has done some work?
 * Some people have fillings and extractions done without anaesthetic because they claim that the after-effects of the anaesthetic are worse than the discomfort of dentistry. What do you think of such a choice?
 * Do you have any techniques to help you relax while you are in the dentist’s chair?
 * It seems that some people are able to fall asleep during dental work - how do you think they manage that?
 * Apart from the discomfort, which of the following do you dislike most at the dentist’s: the sounds, the smells, the sight of the instruments?
 * Do you usually ask for your teeth to be professionally cleaned at the dentist’s? How long does it take?  Do you ask for anaesthetic with this?

Payment

 * In your country is dental work paid for by the state or do you have to pay for it yourself? Which system would you prefer?
 * Is your dentist expensive? How much does typical treatment cost?
 * If you live near a university you may be able to get substantial reductions on the cost of treatment by allowing students to practice on you. What do you think of this idea?

Causes

 * What are some habits which would protect your teeth?
 * What do you think of using dental floss to help clean your teeth?
 * Do you think that all toothpaste is the same or are some really better than others?
 * What things are bad for your teeth?

Cosmetic

 * Have you ever used braces to correct you teeth? Describe the experience.
 * Some people have gold inserts or diamonds in their teeth. What do you think of this custom?
 * What do you think of the increasingly-popular practice of tongue piercing?

Treatment

 * Do you have any fillings? If so, how many?
 * Have you ever had a tooth taken out? How long did it take?
 * Have you ever had root canal surgery? How would you describe the experience?
 * Do you have false teeth, bridges, crowns or implants?
 * Some people have teeth which are very sensitive to heat or cold. Do you suffer from this and what solutions have you found?
 * Some people with toothache claim that the pain starts to go away the moment they phone the dentist. Have you ever experienced this?
 * If you have toothache, what is the best way to treat the pain while you are waiting for an appointment with the dentist?
 * Do you put off going to the dentist's until you can no longer bear the pain?
 * How long does it take to get emergency treatment in your country?

Additional ideas
Teachers who live in jurisdictions with liberal copyright laws might consider using the dentist song from "Little Shop of Horrors" to stimulate discussion.

Teachers may obtain short recordings of dentists' drills by going to findsounds and searching for "dentist".