Scene: A bright dental clinic. Lily is sitting in the dental chair with a paper bib. Dr. Park enters the room with a clipboard.
DR. PARK: Hi, Lily. Good afternoon. How are you today?
LILY: Hi, Doctor. I’m okay… just a little nervous. I don’t really like dentists.
DR. PARK: (smiling) That’s very common. Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything I’m doing. Is this just a regular checkup today?
LILY: Yes, it’s my six-month checkup. But one of my teeth has been sensitive when I drink cold water.
DR. PARK: Okay, thank you for telling me. Which tooth is sensitive? Top or bottom? Left or right?
LILY: Bottom right, near the back.
DR. PARK: Got it. First, I’ll take a quick look and then we’ll do a cleaning. After that, I may take an X-ray of that tooth.
Dr. Park puts on gloves and looks inside Lily’s mouth with a small mirror.
DR. PARK: I see a small cavity starting in that tooth. It’s not very deep, but we should treat it soon.
LILY: A cavity? Does that mean I need a filling?
DR. PARK: Yes, a small filling. I’ll numb the area so you won’t feel pain, just a little pressure.
LILY: Will we do it today, or do I need another appointment?
DR. PARK: If you have time today, we can do it right after the cleaning. It should only take about 20 minutes.
LILY: Okay, let’s do it today.
The dental hygienist finishes cleaning Lily’s teeth. Later, Dr. Park comes back to do the filling.
DR. PARK: All right, Lily. I’m going to give you a little injection to numb your gums. You’ll feel a small pinch.
LILY: (muffled) Okay…
A few minutes pass.
DR. PARK: How do your lips feel? Numb?
LILY: Yes, very numb.
DR. PARK: Good. I’m going to start the filling now. Please raise your hand if you feel any pain.
Dr. Park drills and fills the tooth. A few minutes later…
DR. PARK: All finished. The cavity is cleaned and filled. Try closing your mouth to see if your bite feels normal.
LILY: (carefully) It feels a little strange, but not painful.
DR. PARK: That’s normal. The numb feeling will go away in a couple of hours. Please don’t chew anything hard on that side until tomorrow.
LILY: Okay. Is this covered by my insurance?
DR. PARK: Yes, your insurance covers part of the filling. The front desk will tell you the exact amount before you leave.
LILY: Great. Thank you for explaining everything. It wasn’t as scary as I expected.
DR. PARK: You’re welcome, Lily. You’re doing a good job taking care of your teeth. We’ll see you again in six months for your next checkup.
— THE END —