How old was your dc when you made their first

[Clarity]

appointment at the dentist? At the eye doctor?

Our dentist told us three would be fine. His technician suggested the older end of three would be even better. We haven't gone yet, and dd1 is 3.5 now. I should probably call for an appointment soon.

I think my opthamalogist would have liked for me to bring her in at two, but I thought that was maybe a bit early. We still haven't taken her.

[bubbaray]

DD#1
pediatric dentist ~ 18m
eye dr ~ 3y

DD#2
pediatric dentist ~ 13m
eye dr ~ 6m (not a typo)

They go every 6m to the dentist, every year to the eye dr.

[crl]

eye doctor--about 2, because there was some concern about his eyes (turned out fine)
dentist--about 3.5, because he was complaining of pain and turned out to have cavities (I still feel guilty about this, should have taken him sooner)

Catherine

[infomama]

Dentist-3
Eye doc- never been...just have done screenings through our Peds office.

[infocrazy]

Dentist 3
Eye Dr around 9 months via the infantsee.org program. DH and I don't wear glasses...yet...although I probably should look into it for myself (ba-da-bum) so we haven't taken them again and probably won't unless we have a reason. DS1 had a vision test (eye chart) at his 4 yr check up.

[baileygirl]

DS#1 Dentist at 14 months and goes every 6 months since then.
DS#2 has an appointment right at 12 months (he is almost 10 months now and only has 2 teeth, so hopefully some show up before then!)

Eye doctor both around 7 months for the infantsee program. We were told at that time as long as there weren't any issues, they didn't need to go back until they were 3.

[AnnieW625]

DH wears glasses and had a lazy eye as a child (that wasn't caught soon enough so it made his vision worse in the one eye) so we took DD to and opthamologist to have her evaluated at 2. It was probably premature and DH said DD didn't cooperate well. We we were suppose to take her back when she turned 3, but her eyes haven't shown any signs of being lazy so we'll take her again around the time she turns 4.

For the dentist we took her a few days after she turned 3. I asked my dental hygenist (who has kids) and she said it's really best to do it once they have all their teeth so we waited. She'll go once every six months.

[citymama]

We took DD to the dentist at 3 for the first time. Haven't yet taken her to the eye doctor but will make an app't around her 4th birthday.

[o_mom]

Dentist at 18-24 mo, then every 6 mo. Eyes at 1yr, 3yr and 5 yr, then yearly.

[klwa]

Our dentist encouraged us to bring DS in with one of us at 3. He's "been to the dentist" twice now, but only the last time (when he was almost 4) did he allow them to clean his teeth & look in his mouth. Dentist said that was the way they like to handle it, so DS would see me getting my teeth cleaned & then hop into the chair (or not). That way they know what's going on & aren't as scared.

As for eye doctor, I think we'll go the summer before school starts. So, he'll be 5 1/2 before we go there. His screenings at the ped have always come back okay, but I'd like a "pro" to check him out before real school.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Ds1 I took ds to the dentist at 18m. Ds2's dentist had us wait tll 2yo. I personally would have rather gone in sooner just in case there was something I needed to be aware of. I'd hate to have missed something like a cavity which would be easily treatable if caught soon but a nightmare to deal with if not. We have dental insurance so I figure it makes sense to go in by 2yo.

Ds1 had his 1st eye exam around 3yo. Ds2 had is first one before he turned 2 b/c of a "white eye" scare.

Beth

[Cam&Clay]

DS1:

Eye Doctor -18 mos (He had issues/multiple surgeries.)
Dentist-3 years

DS2:

hasn't been to either one yet

[khalloc]

I just brought DD to her first teeth cleaning yesterday. She turned 4 in November. She was great! She did come with me and watched me get my teeth cleaned when she was 3.5. I think the late end of 3, or 4 is a great time. She was so good yesterday at the dentist.

[elliput]

DD was 4.5 for her first dentist visit. She has not been to the eye doctor.

[cono0507]

DS -
dentist - age 3
ophthalmologist - 6 months (had an abnormal pupil which turned out to be fine but gets checked yearly)

DD -
dentist - age 2 (but it was pointless. she wouldn't let him do anything. she'll be more ready at 2.5-3yo)
ophthalmologist - 4 months (same issue at DS but fine now too)

[jenandahalf]

We had been a bit lax with the dentist ourselves so we took her at about 4.5 for her first checkup. Her teeth looked good to us and she wasn't complaining, her teeth are in perfect shape so we got off lucky there.

Apart from the pediatrician checking her sight at appts, we waited until we needed to for the eye doctor. Here in IL you have to submit an eye dr report with kindergarten registration forms so that's what we did. Again no indication from her that it was needed before then.

[DebbieJ]

Um, bad mom here. DS just had his first dentist and eye doctor appts at 5 yo so he could go to kindy.

[elephantmeg]

DS went to the dentist at 2.5, DD at 1.5. Neither has been to the eye doctor

[WatchingThemGrow]

pediatric dentist 1yo, then every 6 mos. - all DC

DD needs to get her eyes checked soon, so maybe 3.75?

[sansdieu]

I would really encourage everyone to get at least one appointment with a pediatric ophthalmologist before the age of 2. We have a wonderful pediatrician, but he did not pick up on a very subtle problem (nobody did, really, except my mom who insisted that DD's eyes looked funny when she drank from a cup--and she turned out to be right!). It turns out DD is far-sighted and has amblyopia. There is no family history, and there were no other signs visible to us -- she looks and acts totally "normal" and can describe the tiniest pictures in the books (apparently, it manifests itself differently from aging-related far-sightedness in adults)

Screenings are free through the infantsee program (I didn't take advantage of it because I thought my child didn't need it), if the child is under the age of 1. The sooner you can detect the problem, the sooner you can do something about it. Most problems (such as lazy eye) need to be corrected before the age of 5, or they become permanent.

[mecawa]

DD1 was 3 the first time she went to the dentist, I actually tried to make an appointment at age 2 and my dentist and the pediatric dentist both told me to wait until 3 if she was not having a problem.

We have yet to make an eye appt.(will be 6 on Sat), but she gets her eyes tested by the ped annually.

[sunshine873]

DD has been seeing a pediatric opthamologist since birth. She has Retinopathy of Prematurity. We just graduated to visits every 6 months! :bouncy:

I just went to the dentist myself and asked about timing. One woman told me as soon as she gets her 1st tooth. What? I can't imagine her even understanding them giving her directions at this point. Another person told me 2 years old. It's nice to read experiences on this thread.

[Gena]

Dentist:

We first took him at age 3 and only because it was required by the public peschool pogram. But he didn't have a successful exam until he was 4.5. Before then the dentist signed off that the exam was attempted, but not completed.

Eye Doctor:

First exam when he was 2 (again, it took more than one attempt for a successful exam) and I wish we had gone a lot sooner. We got a referal to a pediatric ophthamologist becuase DS had some strabismus and was extremely photophobic. He turned out to have a lot of vision problems (extremely farsighted, extreme astigmatism, low visual acuity, bilateral amblyopia) and eventually got a confirmed diagnosis of albinism. He goes to the PO every 6 months.

[JBaxter]

dentist 3yrs eye doctor 6 yrs.

[maestramommy]

Weeeell, we took Dora when she turned 1, because she had some brownish spots I wanted the dentist to check out. She had an eye screen at her 4yo well check this year.

Arwyn hasn't gotten either appt. I just don't know when I can take all 3 kids to the DENTIST. The very idea makes me very tired.

[amldaley]

My dentist said age 1 and our insurnace will cover a one year old. DD will be going with me in January when she is almost 18 months for her first appointment.

I never even thought about the optometrist. Guess I will now!