First Visit
Making Your Child's First Dental Visit a Positive One
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends your child's first visit to the dentist to occur by his/her 1st birthday. With your help, we can make this initial visit the most positive experience possible!
Here are a few suggestions to prepare your youngster for the initial visit:
- Inform your child of the appointment. Tell your child that the dentist wants to get to know him/her; present this visit as an exciting experience for yourself and for your child. Remind them that going to the dentist is a sign that they are growing up.
- Explain the exam and cleaning. Tell your child that we will "count," "brush," and "take pictures" of his/her teeth. Your child will better understand the situation using these terms.
- Be incredibly positive about this experience. Avoid negative words such as "hurt," "drill," "pull," and "shot." Please do not tell your child that the "dentist will not hurt you" as this may never have entered his/her mind. Instead, you may wish to assure your child that the dentist and her helpers will be gentle and friendly. This initial examination involves nothing uncomfortable and should be perceived by the child as non-threatening.
- Bring only the child that is to be seen for the dental visit so that both the parent and dental staff can concentrate on that child's needs.
- We want your child's visit to our office to be a happy one! If there is anything that would be helpful to understand a child's behavior, like illness, family problems or school issues, the dentist will want to know. This will facilitate a successful visit.