We along with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Dental Association (ADA), and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommend establishing a Dental Home for your child by their first birthday. Children with a dental home are more likely to receive proper preventive care, and routine oral health treatment. Common ages where cavities are frequently noted are around 14-18 months and 3-5 years old.
For infants 0-2, the first visit includes an examination but focuses on being educational – discussing recommendations for your child in regards to Oral Hygiene, Diet, and Oral Habits such as pacifiers.
If your child is 3-4 years old you can make the first visit to the dentist enjoyable and positive. Inform your child of the visit and tell them that the dentist and their staff will explain everything that they do and answer any questions.
Starting the dental journey positively sets the tone for future appointments. 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". We will be using kid friendly language to express our intentions to the children to keep them at ease during their visits and we hope that you can help us.
You can Trust us with your Children
If your child is over the age of 4, we ask that you allow them to accompany our staff through the dental experience while you encourage them from the side. Separation anxiety is not uncommon in children, so please try not to be concerned if your child exhibits some negative behavior. This is normal and will soon diminish. We are all specifically trained in helping young children overcome anxiety. Our experience has shown that most children over the age of 4 react more positively when permitted to experience the dental visit on their own and in an environment designed for children. Our purpose is to gain your child's confidence and overcome apprehension, and we can usually establish a closer relationship with your child when they are able to focus on us. You are more than welcome to accompany your child to the treatment room but we kindly ask that you support us in treating your children. For the safety and privacy of all patients, other children who are not being treated should remain in the reception area with a supervising adult.