Your child’s first visit
What to expect when you arrive
Preparing for the Big Day
You’ve reached a great milestone in life. It’s time for your child to see the dentist! While this should be an exciting field trip, we understand that new experiences can be difficult for some little ones – especially if they don’t know what to expect. So now is a great time to build some excitement by helping them get ready for “the big day.” Watching kid-friendly videos or reading books about going to the dentist can help them become more familiar with what they will experience. Even playing pretend dentist at home can positively reinforce the importance of going to the dentist.
We know that as adults, not all of us have had the best of experiences at the dentist. However, we can change that perception for our children. If you find that you’re also nervous about the visit, try not to let it show. We promise to treat your child with as much care, respect and compassion as you would. The primary goal of your first visit is to gain your child’s trust and confidence – as well as yours.
What You Can Expect
The moment you walk through the doors of our office, you and your child will be greeted warmly by our amazing front desk coordinator. After making sure you comfortable and oriented to our waiting room, she will provide you the initial forms we need you to complete, including informed consent and medical history.
Once ready, one of our fabulous dental assistants will guide you and your child to the X-rays station, or as we like to call it, the “photo booth station.” It is important to us that we use kid-friendly terminology to make sure your child is comfortable and they have a great experience. In fact, that’s the entire goal of our practice – to ensure a great experience and best care for every single child that visits.
After your child’s “photoshoot,” we’ll find a comfortable place in the office for us to spend a few minutes getting to know each other. Then we’ll share information about preventive measures that can be taken to avoid cavities and trauma such as diet, hygiene, sports injury prevention and what to do in case of an emergency.
Then it’s time for the best part – the cleaning! Our amazing hygienist will clean your child’s teeth with a special electric toothbrush or a regular toothbrush, whichever she feels will be better for your child’s emotional state. That will be the first step to gain his/her confidence.
From time to time any child, regardless of how introverted or gregarious they may be, can have a tough visit. It’s perfectly normal and happens far more often than you may think! So if your child has an off day, don’t worry. We encourage scheduling another visit so we can continue to gain their trust and create a positive association with the dentist.
After the cleaning and evaluation, if any treatments are recommended, Dr. G or Dr. A will discuss them with you and answer all of your questions. We want to provide the information you need to determine the best approach for your child’s care.
And finally, the goodies! Once we’re done, we’ll load your child up with a toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, stickers, and toys. Yes, that’s right. Toys!! And of course after the appointment, if you have any other questions or concerns, please call us. You will leave with your doctor’s direct number and are welcome to call at any time.