Do’s and Don’ts
Please Do:
Do take your child along on a sibling or friend’s appointment so they get comfortable with the dentist and the office.
Do let us know about your child’s special needs or medical problems before your appointment.
Do play dentist at home for fun! Count your kid’s teeth as you shine a light on them and let them check out yours.
Do read your child a book about going to the dentist for the first time. We can suggest one.
Do answer questions, but not in too much detail. It is best to say something along the lines of, “We are going to look at your teeth and take some pictures with a special camera.”
Do get an early start to avoid rushing and do act calm, cool and collected. Otherwise your child will suspect something is wrong. There is no reason for your child to be afraid. We make the visits at our office fun for children.
Please Don’t:
Don’t use bribery or threats and don’t make the dental visit a very big deal. They’ll know something is up.
Don’t use scary words like hurt, shot, pull, drill. We have a special vocabulary for explaining dentistry to children aimed at their ability to reason.
Don’t expect perfect behavior. If your child is afraid or shy, that’s okay. If your child throws a tantrum, there’s always another day.
Don’t make the dentist out to be a bad guy. It’ll just guarantee more trouble at the next appointment.
We appreciate the parent waiting in the reception area during the child’s appointment. This allows the dentist to build rapport with your child, putting him/her at ease, making this and any future dental appointments non-traumatic.
Parents are continually surprised how well their children do at our office!
