Ethics & Law · single question
A 22-year-old patient says 'I think I have a cavity.' Which of the following is an OPEN-ENDED question the dentist should ask?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. What made you think you have a cavity?
- A. 'Is the tooth bothering you?' is a yes/no closed question.
- B. Correct. 'What made you think you have a cavity?' is an open-ended question — it invites elaboration and cannot be answered with yes/no. It prompts the patient to describe their experience in their own words, building rapport and gathering comprehensive information.
- C. 'When did it happen?' is a closed/semi-closed question narrowing to a time point.
- D. 'Which tooth is it?' is a closed question — it asks for a specific piece of information (yes/no or a tooth number).