How to prepare for first dental visit?

[tny915]

DD's first trip to the dentist is in a couple days, and I really haven't done much to prepare her. I've told her that the dentist will look at all her teeth while she opens her mouth wide. I told her big girls get to the go to the dentist, and that the dentist will give her presents.

The dental practice I'm going to comes highly recommended with friendly and patient staff, resident dog, tv's in the exam rooms, and prizes after the visit. I'm not very concerned about the visit so haven't done much to prepare DD and now am thinking I'm not doing enough, since I've done pretty much nothing.

What have you done to prepare your children for their first trip to the dentist?

[tny915]

DD's first trip to the dentist is in a couple days, and I really haven't done much to prepare her. I've told her that the dentist will look at all her teeth while she opens her mouth wide. I told her big girls get to the go to the dentist, and that the dentist will give her presents.

The dental practice I'm going to comes highly recommended with friendly and patient staff, resident dog, tv's in the exam rooms, and prizes after the visit. I'm not very concerned about the visit so haven't done much to prepare DD and now am thinking I'm not doing enough, since I've done pretty much nothing.

What have you done to prepare your children for their first trip to the dentist?

[SnuggleBuggles]

We took ds before he turned 2. The biggest thing I did was made sure I wasn't passing on any dental fears. I tried to talk very positively but I really didn't do much else.

Our practice is great. I have been going there since I was little. It isn't a pediatric dentist. When he was little they used to do the exam with him on my lap and now he sits by himself. They are very respectful to not do anything that really upsets him. He hates the look of the pokey tooth counter so they just don't use it. Make sure they do that sort of thing to so you can all set a good tone for the future.

GL!
Beth

[jillc]

Hi! There is a Dora book about going to the dentist that we have that Abby really likes. Dora goes to the dentist & lets the dentist look at her teeth, gets an x-ray, gets to pick a toothbrush & sticker, etc., etc. Got it at Barnes & Noble. Might help!

Hope the visit goes well. I'm a little nervous about taking Abby, too.

Smiles,
Jill

[spunkybaby]

I took DD to my dentist appointment so that she could see the dentist cleaning my teeth. My mom came with us and then took DD to the drugstore next door after about 10 minutes, and they shopped while they waited for me to finish my appointment. (My dentist suggested bringing DD along when I asked him how to prepare her for seeing a dentist.)

Also, I checked out a book from the library and read it to her several times. I think it was Little Critter Goes to the Dentist. When we read it, she talked about how she had seen mommy at the dentist too.

Her actual appointment at the pediatric dentist went very smoothly. She was very calm and relaxed, enjoyed the TV in the exam room, and was excited when she got to pick out a toothbrush and a prize. I also made sure to choose a pediatric dentist who allows parents to stay with their children. I sat in the chair, and DD sat in my lap for the exam.

HTH!

[JBaxter]

I was/am a hygienist and I ususally told the parents to bring the child along at one of their cleaning appts. That way the child could see mommy/daddy was fine. I usually had had the child sit on the parents lap after the parents appt and look at their teeth with just a mirror. ( call it a happy visit). I always saw kids right round 3.

Elmo does a video ( cant remeber which one right now) where a little boy goes and gets his teeth cleaned and there are several books avavilable. Work of caution read/look at the whole book first I had one book where the bear got a tooth pulled :(.

Tell your DD the dentist is going to count her teeth to see how many she has and then brush them with a special tooth brush. I'd talk about it when she is brushing. Act very excited and then have a small prize at the end ( after 3 boys yes bribery does work LOL)

Nathan has his first appt on Dec 5th just after my appt. I like my dentist and he does not require parents to leave the room.

[jasabo]

I took my boys for the first time when they just turned 3 and they actually ended up doing much better then I expected. I think what helped a lot is going to a pediatric dentist as opposed to a regular dentist...the office was decorated and a lot of fun, the staff was fabulous, etc. - no dog though, which would have been REALLY cool!!

Also, I read them books - Dora, etc. - about going to the dentist for a few weeks before we went, saying that they would get to go go the dentist soon too, it'll be fun, etc. That helped a lot too.

I think the staff is key - if they're friendly and know how to deal well with kids, they'll put your dd at ease, talk her through what they're doing and will also be able to deal with a meltdown, in the off case that it should happen ;)

Good luck!

[cmo]

Another possible thing to try is practicing biting down and holding on a popsicle stick (or something similar) if you think they will try to do xrays. It gets them used to having something like a bitewing in their mouth.

[CiderLogan]

I just took DD for the first time right before she turned 3. Reading the Dora book beforehand really helped her get excited about it, and we talked it up (she was about to start preschool at the time, so we talked about how now she's a big girl and can go to preschool, to the dentist, etc.). It's a ped. dentist, and they recommended brushing her teeth with her lying reclined a few times before she went so she'd be used to the position of lying in the chair. Otherwise they didn't do anything to scary, and she liked it a lot. Your dental practice sounds great, so I think she'll do fine.

Jenny
Julia, 8/03
Clara, 5/06

[kransden]

My dd loves the Dora book too. I would get that or a similar book for your dc.

Karin and Katie 10/24/02