The candidate card
Setting
Dental clinic
Candidate
You are a dentist. Ms Nomsa Engstrom, aged 29, is 20 weeks pregnant with her first child and has come in because her gums bleed when she brushes. Your examination shows red, swollen gums consistent with pregnancy gingivitis and a small cavity in a lower back tooth that needs a filling. Before the examination she told you she does not want any X-rays or injections while she is pregnant and would prefer to wait until after the birth.
Task (interlocutor: patient)
- Find out about Ms Engstrom's symptoms, her usual oral hygiene routine and what she has read about dental treatment in pregnancy
- Explain the cause of her bleeding gums and how to care for them at home (hormonal changes, plaque, brushing and cleaning between teeth)
- Reassure her about the safety of dental treatment during pregnancy (X-rays only if needed, local anaesthetic, second trimester)
- Explain why the filling should not be delayed until after the birth
- Agree a treatment plan and arrange follow-up
In the test you get 3 minutes to read the card and plan, then about 5 minutes to talk. This card is original, written for this site; the interlocutor's card is not shown.
How to approach this card
- Start by asking what she has read or been told about dental care in pregnancy, and let her talk. The card gives no reason for her preference, so find out what is behind it before you reassure.
- Keep the history brief: when the bleeding happens and how she looks after her teeth, in her own words. Ask open questions and do not assume any change in her habits. Her answers shape the home-care advice.
- Give the cause before the safety talk. Hormonal changes make gums react to plaque, so the problem is understandable and treatable. Encourage her to keep brushing and cleaning between teeth even though the gums bleed.
- Acknowledge her preference first, then use the card's points: X-rays only if needed, local anaesthetic, second trimester. Explain why the filling should not wait: a cavity does not heal on its own. Avoid frightening language.
- If time is short, prioritise agreeing the filling and the gum-care routine, then book follow-up. The typical error is lecturing or overriding her preference. Offer choices, and check she is comfortable with the plan.
Phrases to adapt
Use your own words; these show the register, not lines to memorise.
- I'd like to hear what you've read or been told before I give my view.
- Bleeding gums in pregnancy are common, and it isn't something you've done wrong.
- Let me go through this step by step, then tell me what you think.
- Can you tell me in your own words what we've agreed for the filling?
Medical words in plain English
| Term | How you might say it to the patient |
|---|---|
| pregnancy gingivitis | Swollen, red gums that bleed easily during pregnancy, linked to hormone changes and plaque. |
| plaque | The soft, sticky film of germs that builds up on teeth and along the gum line. |
| local anaesthetic | An injection that numbs only the tooth and gum being treated. |
How this card is marked
Two assessors mark the recording on nine criteria: intelligibility, fluency, appropriateness of language and resources of grammar and expression (each 0–6), then relationship building, understanding and incorporating the patient's perspective, providing structure, information gathering and information giving (each 0–3). Grade B usually means 5 on each language criterion and 2 on each clinical one. See the AI Speaking practice guide for what each criterion looks for.
More Dentistry role-play cards
- Painful wisdom tooth before an overseas flight Dental clinic
- Dentist: early childhood tooth decay and a defensive parent Dental clinic
- Neglected oral care in a parent with dementia Dental clinic
All sets: nurses, doctors, other professions. Your profession's guide: OET Dentistry.
Questions about this role-play
What if she still declines the filling after my explanation?
Respect that the decision is hers. State your reasons once more without pressure, offer to start with the gum care, and agree a review date. Make sure what she has accepted is clearly summarised before she leaves.
How should I answer if she asks about X-rays?
Answer in plain words and stay with the card: X-rays are used only if needed. Avoid promising that none will ever be required, because that may not be true. Invite her to ask any further questions.
How much detail should I give about gum disease?
Very little. One clear cause (hormones and plaque) and a few home-care steps are enough. Spend the saved time on her preference about treatment and on the reasons the filling should not wait.
Sources
Last checked 22 Oct 2026. Rules and prices change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
OETAce is an independent practice site. OET is a registered trademark of Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment (CBLA); we are not affiliated with or endorsed by CBLA. All practice material here is original.