At the Dentist's Office
by Tirzah Tyler
"Erin Mathis?" A lady called my name, signaling that it was time for me to leave the temporary comfort of the waiting room.
Without looking up from his laptop, Dad grinned and declared, "Piece of cake."
I sighed and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. I had been avoiding this appointment for as long as I could. I followed the lady to a small room.
After I crawled onto a cold plastic chair and leaned back, the dental hygienist came into the room. "Hey, Erin! It's been a while, girl! Are you in the sixth grade now?"
"Eighth," I replied quietly.
She gasped and fastened a face mask behind her head. "Well, I guess I've got my work cut out for me."
"Why are you wearing that?" I asked slowly, trying to hide how nervous out I was.
"It's just for public health reasons," she replied cheerfully. "I do this with all our patients, so it isn't anything personal." Then she whispered, "You don't want to smell the onions I ate at lunch, do you?"
I laughed, and the dental hygienist told me to open wide. Then she cleaned all my teeth by scraping them with a metal pick. I was surprised at how gentle this procedure was. Then she used a small and noisy instrument to polish all my teeth. After I swished with mouthwash, she let me look at my teeth in a mirror. I couldn't remember them being that white. My nervousness disappeared, and I wondered why I had been avoiding the dentist's office for so long.
The dentist, Dr. Smithfield, came into the room and greeted me. "Have you been brushing your teeth regularly?"
"Um, when I remember to," I answered honestly.
Dr. Smithfield told me to open my mouth, and then he examined all my teeth. "Everything looks good," he said. "You don't eat very much sugar, do you?"
"No, my dad doesn't like to have candy in our house," I said.
"Well, there's nothing wrong with eating a little candy," he said. "However, I don't want you to get any cavities, so you do need to brush your teeth twice a day."
Dr. Smithfield picked up a fake set of teeth and a toothbrush, and he showed me how to brush my teeth. Then he gave me a free toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste. We told each other goodbye, and I was excited to hear that I would need to come back in six months.
The dental hygienist helped me down from the chair and escorted me back to the waiting room.
Dad saw me coming, closed his laptop, and asked me, "How'd it go?"
I smiled and declared, "Piece of cake."
9
Which of the following is the best summary of the passage?
A.
The dentist, Dr. Smithfield, gets a fake set of teeth and a toothbrush. He shows Erin how to brush her teeth, and he explains that she should do so twice a day. He examines her teeth, and he says that everything looks good and that she does not eat much sugar.
B.
The dental hygienist wears a face mask for public health reasons. She likes to eat onions. She thinks Erin is in the sixth grade, but Erin is actually in the eighth grade. She cleans Erin's teeth with a pick and an instrument, and Erin's teeth are now white.
C.
Erin only brushes her teeth when she remembers to do so. She does not eat much sugar, and her dad does not keep candy in the house. Erin is surprised at how gentle the dental hygienist is when she cleans Erin's teeth. Erin does not have any cavities.
D.
Erin is at the dentist's office with her dad for the first time in a while, and she is nervous. A hygienist cleans her teeth, and the dentist examines her teeth and shows her how to brush them. Erin is not nervous anymore, and she looks forward to her next visit.
1 answer
2 answers