Our office, as well as the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, recommends that your child visit the dentist by his/her 1st birthday.
Video: Age One Dental Visit
Thank you for this opportunity to introduce you to our office and our philosophy. Although this is a dental office, our goal is to make you and your child feel like this is their dental home. To better prepare for the first visit, it is important that you know what to expect when you arrive for your child’s dental appointment:
You can help make your child’s first visit even better…
As a parent, you can make the first visit to the dentist enjoyable and positive. Your child should be informed of the visit and told that the dentist and their staff will explain all procedures and answer any questions. It is best if you refrain from using words around your child that might cause unnecessary fear, such as “needle”, “shot”, “pull”, “drill” or “hurt”. Our office makes a practice of using words that convey the same message, but are pleasant and non-frightening to the child.
Before the first visit, be prepared to complete all insurance and health information forms that will allow us to begin your child’s dental treatment. You may get a head start on this process by downloading the new patient forms from this website to fill them out before you come.
You can accompany your child…
For the first visit, we invite you to stay with your child during the initial examination. For future appointments, we recommend that you allow your child to accompany our staff through the dental experience. We will be able to establish a closer rapport with your child when you are not present. Our purpose is to gain your child’s confidence and trust, and to overcome their apprehension. However, if you choose to, you may come with your child to the treatment room. For the safety and privacy of all patients, other children who are not being treated should remain in the reception room with a supervising adult.
We make the experience fun for your child…
The first visit at the dentist’s office is an adventure for young children. They will discover many things about their teeth and themselves. Some children will come in excited and some will feel apprehensive. By choosing a Pediatric Dentist, you are taking an important first step in creating a positive dental attitude for your child. With specialty training and a fun environment, we hope to give your child a good dental experience, starting at a very young age. We have books, toys, games and a dental office designed to put children at ease.
We work hard to alleviate parents’ apprehension as well…
To ensure that you have all the information you need, we promise to answer all your questions and speak candidly with you about your child’s symptoms, treatments and our recommendations. Working together, we can keep your child’s smile beautiful and healthy, with quality care that fits into your budget.
