Learn to communicate effectively in a dental office setting, using key Dutch terms like afspraak (appointment), pati5nt (patient), seintje (signal), and doorgeven (to pass on). Practice conversations about planning, feedback, and patient instructions to build practical vocabulary and fluency.
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. De assistent _____ altijd de afspraken voor de tandarts.
(The assistant _____ always the appointments for the dentist.)2. Ik _____ met de assistent over het volgende consult.
(I _____ with the assistant about the next consultation.)3. We _____ samen of alle materialen klaar liggen.
(We _____ together if all materials are ready.)4. De tandarts _____ de assistent om de patiënt voor te bereiden.
(The dentist _____ the assistant to prepare the patient.)Exercise 3: Communication with the assistant in the dental practice
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Werken - To work
Tegenwoordige tijd
- ik werk
- jij werkt
- hij/zij/het werkt
- wij werken
- jullie werken
- zij werken
Controleren - To check
Tegenwoordige tijd
- ik controleer
- jij controleert
- hij/zij/het controleert
- wij controleren
- jullie controleren
- zij controleren
Stellen - To prepare
Tegenwoordige tijd
- ik stel
- jij stelt
- hij/zij/het stelt
- wij stellen
- jullie stellen
- zij stellen
Nemen - To go through
Tegenwoordige tijd
- ik neem
- jij neemt
- hij/zij/het neemt
- wij nemen
- jullie nemen
- zij nemen
Roepen - To call
Tegenwoordige tijd
- ik roep
- jij roept
- hij/zij/het roept
- wij roepen
- jullie roepen
- zij roepen
Geven - To pass
Tegenwoordige tijd
- ik geef
- jij geeft
- hij/zij/het geeft
- wij geven
- jullie geven
- zij geven
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Effective communication with the assistant in a dental practice
This lesson focuses on practical communication skills in Dutch, specifically for interactions between dental assistants and other staff. It covers key dialogues and expressions used in daily hospital or dental clinic routines at an A2 level, suitable for learners with basic Dutch knowledge aiming to improve understanding of work-related conversations.
Main Topics Covered
- Reception Communication: Discussing patient scheduling and special patient details at the reception desk. Examples include phrases like "Goedemorgen, hoeveel patiënten hebben we vandaag ingepland?" and "Mevrouw Jansen heeft aangegeven dat ze allergisch is voor latex."
- Signals and Feedback: Quickly reporting issues during treatments. Key sentences are "De patiënt klaagt over pijn tijdens het boren." and "Wil je een handje helpen of het gesprek overnemen?"
- Conveying Messages to Patients: Communicating clear instructions from the dentist to the patient, for example "Ze mag na de behandeling geen koffie drinken." or "De tandarts wil dat de patiënt volgende week terugkomt voor een controle."
Language Focus
The lesson features verb conjugation practice in the present tense. Notable verbs include:
- Werken (to work): ik werk, jij werkt...
- Controleren (to check): ik controleer, jij controleert...
- Nemen (to take): ik neem, jij neemt...
- Geven (to give): ik geef, jij geeft...
Interactive exercises like fill-in-the-gap stories and multiple-choice verb conjugations help reinforce these verbs within the context of a dental clinic.
Useful Words and Phrases
- De assistent – the assistant
- De patiënt – the patient
- De afspraak – the appointment
- De planning – the schedule
- Seintje geven – to give a signal/notice
- Doorgeven – to pass on (a message)
Comparison with English
Unlike English, Dutch verb conjugation for the present tense changes according to the subject but follows predictable patterns, useful to master early. Phrases often place the verb second in the sentence, e.g., "De assistent noteert altijd de afspraken." versus English "The assistant always notes the appointments." Additionally, some expressions like seintje geven (to signal) do not translate literally but carry the same meaning.
Practical phrases such as "Kun je mij vertellen..." (Can you tell me...) and "Wil je ook vragen..." (Would you also ask...) provide polite ways to communicate in professional settings.
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