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Got Teeth?
Taking Your Toddler to the Dentist By Alex Powell
Typically, dentists try to stay within a child's comfort level during the first visit. Much of the visit will consist of just talking getting a thorough history of the child's medical and dental health and educating parent and child about preventative home care. Your child will be given ample time to get familiar with the equipment he sees, including "riding" in the dentist's chair. Finally, the dentist will examine your child's mouth and teeth and will give you a schedule of dental checkups (usually every six months).
And while it might not happen at the first visit (especially if your little one has only one tooth), eventually your child's teeth will be professionally cleaned and polished, a fluoride treatment will be given and dental X-rays may be taken.
Will you get to go into the examining area with your child? This differs from practice to practice, explains Dr. Summerhays. Very young toddlers may get to sit on their parent's lap during the visit. However, if your child is older, your dentist may ask you to stay in the waiting room. "Very often, the child plays on the parent's emotions," says Dr. Summerhays. "When the parent tries to calm the child, the child goes in the other direction. We see that over and over again." But, "it depends on the parent, and it depends on the dentist as well," adds Dr. Summerhays. Ask about your dentist's policies before the first visit. If you aren't comfortable either way, don't be afraid to seek a second opinion.
Speaking of comfort levels, what do the dentist and staff do to soothe a toddler who becomes anxious? "Communication is key," says Garnett. "If they get scared, we back off and talk to them." She notes that all procedures will be explained first, in language your toddler can understand. During these visits, most kids aren't only comfortable they're curious.