Preparing your child for their first dental appointment
Preparing your child for their first dental visit can help make the experience more comfortable and positive for both you and your child. Your child’s first dental appointment can determine whether their future interactions with the dentist will be positive or negative ones, so it’s important to try to make the experience as positive as possible. Here are some tips that can help you prepare your child for a positive experience at their first dental appointment:
Read books with your child
Reading books can help alleviate feelings of uncertainty, fear, or confusion that your little one might be having around their first dental appointment. Age-appropriate books related to going to the dentist can act as a visual aid to help your child better understand what going to the dentist is going to look and feel like. Look for children’s books that use positive language, and are developmentally appropriate for your child’s stage of development. Here are some of our recommendations for dentist-related books based on your child’s age:
Children ages 1 and up
Brush Your Teeth Please by Leslie McGuire
(interactive pop-up book, models brushing and flossing teeth)
Classroom Presentations with Dr. Kevin
Dr. Kevin of Ladera Ranch Pediatric Dentisrty, our esteemed Community Helper for the month of March, joined our classrooms to give a short presentation on brushing, flossing, dental hygiene, and the important role Dentists play in our community!
Children ages 2 and up
Peppa Pig: Dentist Trip by Neville Astley
(toddler-appropriate, depicts the dentist’s office and a dental exam)
Maisy, Charley, and the Wobbly Tooth by Lucy Cousins
(toddler-appropriate, puts a fun twist on the dentist’s office, a dental exam, taking x-rays, and the process of losing baby teeth)
Children ages 3 and up
Daniel Goes to the Dentist by Alexandra Cassel Schwartz
(discusses brushing teeth, the dentist’s office, dental tools, and exams in an inviting, exciting way)
Elmo Visits the Dentist by P. J Shaw
(discusses dental exams, dental tools and procedures, and what a cavity and a filling are in an unintimidating, positive way)
Explain the visit, and play pretend
Before your child’s first visit, explain to them what they can expect during the appointment. You can tell your child exactly what you know about their dental visit and what procedures will be done while there, including that they will sit in a dentist’s chair, the dentist will count their teeth, check their gums and mouth, talk about brushing teeth, and depending on the age of your child, the dentist might clean and polish their teeth or take “pictures” (x-rays) of their mouth. We would suggest, however, to avoid explanations that use words or include details that might frighten your child, like talking about drilling teeth or getting shots. It would be best to leave that explanation to the dentist, who will use clear, age-appropriate language to explain those dental procedures in a comforting way.
It’s also extremely beneficial for the understanding of your child to play pretend dentist at home. Pretend play is one of the many ways children learn about the world around them. It allows them to understand and make sense of new or confusing experiences and helps them to develop self-regulation skills. When playing pretend, include being greeted by reception staff, sitting or laying down in the dentist’s chair, and talking about brushing teeth, flossing, and oral hygiene. You can pretend to examine your child’s teeth using a clean spoon, and count their teeth while they lay down. Get creative, and use the resources you have at home to create a pretend dental exam experience.
Explaining the process in detail, from arriving in the lobby to leaving the dentist’s chair, can help your child understand what to anticipate at their first appointment, as well as help them feel calmer during their appointment. Use simple terms and positive language, and repeat this process a few times before their actual appointment.
Pick a good time
Picking a good time for your child’s appointment can have a huge effect on having a successful and positive first dental appointment.
Avoid picking an appointment time that would coincide with, or be around the same time as, their regular nap time. Going in a few hours before their nap, or any time after their nap can help ensure that being tired won’t impact their dental appointment negatively.
If there is a time that would make it possible for your child to eat before their first dental exam, that would be ideal. If the dental appointment pushes back the time they can eat their snack or lunch, hunger and crankiness could potentially make their first experience with the dentist a negative one.
Remain calm!
It’s important that you stay calm and positive during your child’s visit. If you are feeling nervous or anxious about your child’s visit, your child may pick up on that anxiety and, in turn, feel fearful about seeing the dentist. But, if your child sees that you are comfortable with the dentist, they may feel more at ease as well.
You can try modeling positivity to your little one by speaking about the dentist in a positive way, discussing how important their smile and their teeth are, and using teeth-brushing time as an opportunity to spend quality time together, or to give positive reinforcement.