The Truth About Preparing Your Child for Their First Dental Visit.

Unfortunately,  the reputation of dentists and the dental profession has somewhat declined over the last few years.  Many adults have had unpleasant experiences in the dental office.  Usually these "bad" experiences occur when the patient has avoided the dentist until significant pain requires them seek expensive and extensive treatment.   Typically,  parents,  relatives,  friends,  siblings and others share these poor experiences with a child who is seeing a dentist for the first time.  Having heard these stories,  the child goes to the dental office expecting the worst case scenario.  This is the worst possible way to introduce the the child to dental care.  

There is a method to at least paint a positive picture for your child.   I can offer the following suggestions. 

If your child asks,  "What are they going to do?"  You can answer that they are going to brush your teeth,  look at them,  count them,  polish them with an electric tooth,  and talk to me about it.   If ask again you can say "I really don't know,  but I know that it will be easy. "  

Do not us words such as:  hurt, shot, painful,  drill, pull your tooth, or your bad experiences.   The entire GOAL is to make this first visit as easy and pleasant as possible.  Ideally,  the first appointment should be at 15 months of age or younger when they child is free of tooth decay.  They are also easy to control and they have no idea that a dental visit can be unpleasant.   This is GREAT.   

The most difficult age to introduce a child to dentistry is 3 to 4 years of age.  The are insecure about new experiences and are very worldly.  They listen to the unpleasant stories told by the people listed above and can understand them.  I purposefully NEVER do any treatment at the first dental appointment to make it as easy and comfortable as possible.   

A dentist only gets one chance at a first impression,  and the dentist needs to make the most of it.  Another CRITICAL factor is;  ALWAYS take your child to a PEDIATRIC DENTIST  for the first dental exam appointment.   

By following these recommendations,  the parent can often avoid COMPLICATED,  EXPENSIVE,  and potentially UNCOMFORTABLE dental treatment.   By avoiding the one year of age dental exam,  you are increasing risk of your child having an unpleasant introduction to dentistry. 

I truly hope that this accurate and honest information has been helpful for you. 

Sincerely,  Dr Steve Branam