The candidate card
Setting
Dental clinic
Candidate
You are a dentist. Mr Bogdan Kowalczyk, aged 38, has had three days of severe, throbbing pain in his lower left first molar. You have diagnosed irreversible pulpitis. The tooth has a large old filling but is restorable, and you recommend root canal treatment. Mr Kowalczyk is very anxious and is demanding that the tooth be extracted today.
Task (interlocutor: patient)
- Find out about his previous root canal experience and what worries him most about treatment
- Explain the diagnosis and why root canal treatment is recommended (saving a restorable natural tooth)
- Explain the possible long-term consequences of extracting the tooth
- Reassure him about how pain and anxiety can be managed during treatment (e.g. effective anaesthesia, agreed stop signal, sedation options)
- Agree a plan for treatment today
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
- Begin by asking about any previous root canal experience and what frightens him most. Anxious patients often picture a specific bad memory or pain, and naming it lets you answer it rather than generic fears.
- Acknowledge his pain and fear before disagreeing with his request. Then explain the diagnosis simply and why you recommend keeping a restorable tooth, so it sounds like a recommendation and not a refusal.
- Explain what extraction may lead to over the long term in plain words, without scare tactics. Present it as an option he is free to choose after hearing both paths, not as something you are withholding.
- Spend most of your time on control and comfort: effective anaesthesia, an agreed stop signal and sedation options. If sedation is considered, mention practical consequences such as not driving afterwards and arranging transport.
- If time is short, prioritise his main fear and the stop signal, then ask directly which option he prefers. Close by confirming what happens today and how pain will be managed during and after.
Phrases to adapt
Use your own words; these show the register, not lines to memorise.
- Three days of severe pain would wear anyone down, and I want to help.
- What happened last time you had a root canal, if you had one?
- You can raise your hand at any point and we'll stop straight away.
- Having heard both options, which feels right for you today?
Medical words in plain English
| Term | How you might say it to the patient |
|---|---|
| irreversible pulpitis | The nerve inside the tooth is inflamed and cannot heal by itself. |
| root canal treatment | Cleaning out the inflamed nerve inside the tooth so the tooth can be kept. |
| restorable | The tooth is strong enough to be repaired and kept. |
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
- Bleeding gums in pregnancy Dental clinic
- Painful wisdom tooth before an overseas flight Dental clinic
- Dentist: early childhood tooth decay and a defensive parent Dental clinic
All sets: nurses, doctors, other professions. Your profession's guide: OET Dentistry.
Questions about this role-play
What if he still insists on extraction after my explanation?
He decides about his own tooth. Make sure he has heard both options and the long-term consequences of extraction, address the fear behind the demand, and if he still chooses it, document the discussion and discuss next steps respectfully.
How do I explain the consequences of extraction without frightening him?
Keep it factual and calm. Say that losing a tooth can have lasting effects and that keeping his own tooth is usually preferred when it can be repaired. Then return quickly to what you can do to make treatment comfortable.
Should I mention sedation straight away?
Offer it after you have explored his specific fears and explained anaesthesia and the stop signal. If it is used, cover the practical safety side, including not driving afterwards and arranging a way home, as part of the plan.
Sources
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