The Dentist Down the Lane

610-398-1435

MACDENT@compuserve.com

Dental Care at Home

Great Beginnings for Young Teeth

Get your child's dental health off to a great start!

Your child's first visit to our office will likely influence how she will feel about dentists and dental care for the rest of her life. A positive first visit can be the first step toward a lifetime of good dental habits. A negative visit can build fear and hesitancy, and result in her delaying or avoiding the dental care she may need as an adult. We suggest you plan her first visit soon after she gets her first tooth.

Preparing for the visit

You can help make your child's first visit a positive one by following a few easy steps. Call ahead and discuss with us what will happen during the visit. Also, tell us in advance about any history or medical condition that might affect how she reacts. This can help us meet your child's unique needs and plan the best possible visit for her.

Here are a few more pre-visit tips:

  • Don't wait until your child needs dental care to plan the first visit. If she's frightened or in pain, it's difficult for us to gain her trust.


  • Even very young children are perceptive, and can pick up and react to any anxiety you might have about the upcoming visit.


  • Arrange for a morning appointment if possible, when most children are more positive and receptive.


  • Don't talk about specific procedures or instruments. These ideas may confuse or upset her; words like "drill," "injection," and "needle" are potentially very frightening to a child.

  • In addition, plan to arrive early if you possibly can. If you don't feel rushed, you'll feel more relaxed and less anxious yourself, and your child will feel the same way. This extra time will also let her gradually become familiar with our office and how it looks; young children often need to absorb the sights, sounds and smells of new places before they become confident about being there.

    • The first visit

    Your child's first visit will typically just be to introduce our office and our staff to her, take a quick look at her teeth, and, if she is old enough, give her advice on good brushing, flossing and eating habits. Don't worry if your child is still a little nervous. Children sometimes need a little extra time to develop trust and confidence before they'll sit in the dental chair by themselves. Remember, we are trained to help children accept their dental care with confidence; show her your faith in us, and her visit will likely be a great one!

    After the visit

    After you leave our office, talk to your child about her visit. Help her remember what she saw and learned. Tell her how well she behaved, too. Your confidence in her will shine through, and she'll have more confidence herself. If your child was shown brushing and flossing techniques, practice them with her, and praise her for learning.