We, along with the American Dental Association, recommend children have their first dentist visit around their 1st birthday or by the time their first tooth erupts, whichever comes first. Early visits help to ensure your child is experiencing proper oral development. Early visits also get your child comfortable with going to the dentist and having them look around in their mouth.

Their first visit can be worrisome for them and for you, whether it’s their first visit ever, or their first visit with a new dentist.

To help prepare them as best you can, here are some of our top tips for setting them up for success:

Keep a positive attitude: Build the dentist up as something to look forward to, or an exciting adventure. Try not to showcase any anxiety to your child—they will pick up on it and will carry it into their appointment. Use positive language when talking about the dentist, and keep a calm, happy demeanor when you go in for the visit.
Tell them what to expect: For toddlers who have at least a basic understanding of language, you should run them through what they can expect to happen at their appointment. Use an optimistic tone and avoid describing the process in a frightening manner. Talk about how the dentist will look at the child’s teeth, and maybe perform cleanings. If you know your child’s teeth will be cleaned, prepare them for what that might mean.
Mitigate anticipation of the appointment: We recommend being transparent about expectations, but we also recommend that this be shared the day of or the day before their appointment. Waiting to share the details helps to alleviate any excess anxiety or colorful imaginations that might upset your child or cause unnecessary nervousness.
Bring a comfort item: If your child has a comfort item, or they would like to bring in a toy to help keep them grounded, then we more than welcome that. Their piece of familiarity may make their experience more enjoyable, thus making it easier for them to cooperate during the appointment.
Meet our team! We want your child to feel at ease when they walk through our doors. Ideally, they grow up with us and build a bond that makes going to the dentist that much easier. Our staff is happy to meet and greet with all patients and we do our absolute best to make sure that they have a good experience.

Give us a call for more tips about preparing your young children for a visit to the dentist!