Directions
Preparing for Your Child’s First Visit
In accordance to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, we recommend you schedule your child’s first dental appointment after the arrival of the first tooth, or at 12 months of age. This helps ensure that your child becomes comfortable with oral care from a very young age, which leads to good lifelong oral hygiene habits and happy relationships with dental care professionals.
During these early visits when your child’s teeth are just emerging, we check to make sure that the teeth are coming in properly and that the gums look healthy. If you’re unsure how to care for your child’s teeth or if you’re not sure you’re doing it properly, this is a great opportunity for you to ask us questions — we’re happy to help!
Preparing Your Child
If your child is anxious about visiting the dentist, we offer “pre-visits” where your child can tour the office to meet our staff, sit in one of the exam chairs, and check out all of the equipment we use. When a child is able to experience the office in a relaxed manner and ask questions, he or she will likely become much more comfortable when it’s time for the exam. We also recommend that you share positive dental experiences with your child and refrain from using words that might scare them, like mentioning shots, drills, needles, or pain.
To help make your child’s first visit even easier, we’ve uploaded all of the necessary forms so you can print and fill them to at home. This will cause less hustle and bustle when you and your child are sitting in the waiting room for the first time, which can lessen your child’s anxiety.
Remember, we’re happy to answer any questions you may have — just give us a call!