How to Prepare Your Child For Their First Visit at The Dentist

The Dental Anesthesia Center has created a friendly and colorful environment for your child to ensure that the first visit isn’t scary!

Worrying about your child’s first visit to the dentist is perfectly natural. After all, many adults still feel anxious when going to the dentist, especially because they fear the procedures’ potential pain. So it’s not uncommon for parents to worry about their child’s first dental appointment. But, you should know that planning for it is far more simple than you’d think.

A Few Suggestions that Will Definitely Help!

Many pediatric dentists recommend scheduling an appointment within the first 6 months after the first tooth appeared and no later than a year. But even if your child is older than this, don’t worry, and definitely don’t feel ashamed. Please schedule an appointment and let the dentist know your child’s first visit to the dentist.

Before that appointment takes places, here are some steps you can follow to ensure everything runs smoothly:

1. Go for a Tour of the Office – The dentist’s office can be a scary place even for adults. You want to go with a dentist that has created an environment that is appealing to children and can make them feel more comfortable from the moment they step in. To help them ease in, you can book a tour of the office before the child’s dental appointment to become more comfortable with the environment and even the team.
2. Show Them Content About Going to the Dentist – Children learn a lot from books or cartoons, so a good way to present to them the dentist’s office’s world is to expose them to this type of material before their appointment. This way, you can also answer any questions they may have about the process if they’re older.
3. Bring Something to Comfort Them – The parents can, of course, sit in with the child during their dental appointment, but having mommy or daddy there may not be enough to relax the child. Consider bringing something extra that could bring them comfort, such as their favorite toy or a blanket they really love.
4. Promise a Reward – Children can respond better during the dental appointment if they know that afterward, they are in for a treat, like ice cream or a trip to the zoo right after the appointment is over. This also helps clarify that going to the dentist is not a punishment!

The Dental Anesthesia Center has created a friendly and colorful environment for your child to ensure that the first visit isn’t scary!