Follow these tips from the AAPD to help make your child’s first visit a happy and positive one:
- Don’t tell your child scary stories about dental visits.
- Schedule a morning appointment when children tend to be rested and cooperative.
- Don’t relay any anxiety that you might feel about dental visits.
- Never use the visit as a punishment or threat!
At our practice we use “child-friendly” terminology when discussing dental visits with your child. We recommend that parents avoid using words such as “drill”, “needle”, and “shot” because they cause unnecessary anxiety in some children. We want our patients to feel as comfortable as possible coming to our practice and will gladly offer suggestions to help make that possible for your child.