When Should Your Child’s First Visit Be?
The American Board of Pediatric Dentistry (ABPD) recommends that children be seen for their first routine dental visit around age one. Though many times children don’t have all of their teeth yet, it is essential to establish healthy dental habits from the beginning and to begin professional care as soon as possible. This also allows Dr. Shafiei to monitor their growth and development.
Preparing for the First Visit
Many parents worry about their children’s reaction to a dentist appointment. Our office recommends scheduling the appointment in the morning when your child is well-rested and more cooperative. We provide any excuse notes you may need for missing school.
It helps many patients to have the dentist be positively framed by their guardian. Saying things like the “dentist may take special pictures of your teeth using x-ray vision like the superheroes,” “the dentist will count how many teeth you have,” or “the dentist will brush your teeth” instead of more scary or inflammatory descriptions. We encourage you to make visiting the dentist an adventure. At home, please avoid phrases such as “it is not going to hurt”, “you will not get a shot” etc.
Please thoroughly complete and submit/bring the patient’s medical history form and insurance information. It will save you time when you arrive at our office for your visit. If you have health insurance cards, please bring them. If your child is prescribed medications, you may choose to get the prescription with you to show it to the doctor. When transferring from another dental practice, we will request all prior dental records be sent to us with your approval.
What To Expect
Upon entering the office, we will take you on a tour and allow your child to become familiar with their surroundings. We will begin by gaining and establishing trust with your child using behavior management strategies such as “ell-Show-Do” and “positive Reinforcement.”Your child will be shown all of the instruments we will be using today and how they work, often demonstrating their use on the child first.
Dr. Shafiei will perform a comprehensive examination and share the results with your family. If your child is young or very nervous, they may sit on your lap for the exam. Dr. Shafiei will discuss any finger habits your child may have, dietary concerns, and the cavity process. After the appointment is completed, your child will be given a gift bag and pick out a prize!
