Your Child's First Dental Visit
We support the recommendation by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry that your child should visit the dentist by his or her
first birthday. Your child’s first visit to the dentist is very important and we promise to make it a great experience! We are excited to meet you and your child at this appointment. Our goal is to build a steady relationship that will last for years in a trusting, comfortable environment and will promote good oral health and habits.
This “well baby” visit, at the age of one, provides valuable information on how to take care of your baby’s teeth, how to keep them healthy and cavity free, and how to assess normal dental development. Your baby will have his or her first oral exam during this visit. Parents will learn proper techniques for tooth brushing and receive nutritional information that will help maintain good oral health.
Toddlers will also have an enjoyable first dental visit! We will use a “show and tell”, or “Tell-Show-Do”, technique to allow your child to see, touch, play with, and understand every object he or she will come in contact with during this visit. Our staff uses age appropriate language that will help your child grasp dental ideas. Your child will have an oral exam, receive x-rays, and have a dental cleaning with fluoride treatment. Parents will receive nutritional and diet counseling as well as home care instructions for the child’s oral hygiene.
Please be aware that dental treatments such as fillings or extractions will not be performed at your child’s first appointment unless it is an emergency situation. We use this first visit to get to know your child, evaluate behavior that will help determine the best approach to take for future necessary treatments, assess your child’s dental needs, and help gain his or her confidence in our doctors and staff.
Success at your Child's First Dental Visit
We understand that every parent is nervous about how his or her child will behave at the first dental visit. Your participation in preparing your child for this visit is crucial! Our goal is for all of our new patients and families to have a fun, exciting, and educational dental visit. Our commitment at Turner Pediatric Dentistry is to ensure your child has a very positive experience. Here are some hints that may help make this first dental visit awesome!!
- BE POSITIVE
We suggest that you refrain from letting your child know of anxiety YOU may have about dental visits. Try not to use words that can cause unnecessary fear, such as needle, shot, drill, pull, or hurt. We use words that convey the same message, but are pleasant and non-frightening to your child. - DON’T OVEREXPLAIN
Children often ask what is going to happen at the dental visit. Avoid giving your child more information than he or she is able to understand, but don’t purposely mislead your child. Try not to say comments like “Don’t worry – it won’t hurt”. These statements actually make your child more anxious because they know you never say that when anticipated experiences are really fun. - SET A GOOD EXAMPLE
Children imitate their role models…YOU! Practice good dental habits at home, such as brushing and flossing twice a day. Visit YOUR dentist on a regular basis. Beware of frequent snacking – especially eating sugar-filled foods and drinks. - COPING BEHAVIOR OF CHILDREN
The first dental visit can be a challenging new experience for a young child. They often fear the unknown and may exhibit “avoidance behavior” such as squirming or crying. Parents should not be surprised or embarrassed if their child does not initially cooperate in the office. If allowed the opportunity, children usually take great pride in overcoming their fears and are very happy about what they’ve accomplished at the visit.
We strive to make each and every visit to our office a fun one!
