Your Child’s First Visit
A Positive Experience For All
DENTAL APPOINTMENTS ARE FUN AT SPINNAKER PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY
We encourage parents to bring their children to their first dental appointment either when their first tooth erupts or by their first birthday, whichever comes first. The first visit is mostly about familiarizing them with the dental office. It encourages a lifelong positive attitude toward dental visits and helps reduce future dental-related anxiety. Your children will know their dentist well over time, and they will be used to visiting the dental office on a regular basis.
Parents and children find Spinnaker Pediatric Dentistry to be a fun, relaxed environment. It’s anything but boring, with lots of color, wall art, and decor to match our sailing theme.
What to Expect
YOUR CHILD’S FIRST VISIT TO THE DENTIST
We understand the first dental visit can be daunting for a new pediatric patient. Infants attending their first appointment can remain on their parent’s lap. One of our dentists will do a knee-to-knee evaluation with the parent. This helps to keep your child feeling comfortable and safe in their parent’s arms. We know that positive dental experiences from a young age create healthy dental habits into adulthood, so we do everything we can to keep them happy and relaxed. Infants will receive a toothbrush fluoride treatment on their first visit. This is a varnish we apply to the teeth that is designed to help prevent cavities. It is a safe treatment for babies.
Your child’s first visit to the dentist is…
A STEP TOWARD A
LIFELONG HEALTHY SMILE
DESIGNED TO BE A
POSITIVE EXPERIENCE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET OUR GENTLE, CARING TEAM
Remember, it’s never too late!
KIDS WILL BENEFIT FROM A DENTAL VISIT AT ANY AGE.
Even if your child is 2 or older and has not yet had a dental visit, it’s never too late. It doesn’t matter how old they are: Making an appointment today is a step in the right direction. For older children, the Spinnaker team uses the “Tell, Show, Do” method:
- We talk about what we’re going to do and why we’re doing it so children understand exactly what’s happening.
- We show them how it’s going to work and what instruments we will use during the evaluation. This helps young patients to feel more comfortable and relaxed during treatment.
- We then do a full evaluation of their teeth and mouth. This includes taking digital X-rays to diagnose any problems that aren’t visible to the naked eye. We also perform a professional cleaning for older children at their first appointment.
Older children may be nervous about visiting the dentist for the first time. Our team at Spinnaker Pediatric Dentistry specializes in working with children of all ages. We are trained to work specifically with children and will help your child overcome any fears they may have. Our caring team uses a gentle approach to ensure your child has a positive experience at every visit.
Preparing For the First Visit
EXPERT TIPS TO ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD
Parents can help prepare their children for their first dental visit by talking about it with them in advance. Tell them why it is so important to visit the dentist and help them to understand what will happen at their appointment. There are many books suitable for infants, toddlers, and older children about visiting the dentist and keeping your teeth healthy. These can be great introductions to dental care and oral health. You can also find your child’s favorite character on YouTube visiting the dentist to show them that dental visits are something to look forward to.
Some parents find role-playing to be useful. This typically works well with children older than 18 months. You can pretend your living room or dining room is the dental office. Go through different scenarios, such as going into the office and sitting in the reception room. Your child may want to create some props like signage and pictures of healthy smiles. Move on to what evaluating the teeth and mouth will be like. They will need to sit still and open their mouth wide so the dentist can have a look. It can be helpful for parents to first demonstrate this and let their children look at their teeth. If a child sees a parent comfortably sitting in the “dental chair,” they are more likely to be calm and relaxed when they have to do it.
Talk to your child about what an X-ray is like and explain what sounds and feelings they may experience during a professional cleaning. Time spent preparing your child for their first dental appointment helps them to associate the experience with positive thoughts. This sets them up well for the future and encourages healthy dental and oral health habits for a lifetime.
Insurance & Financing
Every child deserves high-quality, low-stress dental care.
Spinnaker Pediatric Dentistry accepts cash, card, and most major insurance plans.
CareCredit and Alphaeon Credit can help keep your child smiling!*
CareCredit and Alphaeon Credit offer easy, convenient, and affordable ways to pay for your child’s dental treatment. Contact our friendly team to find out more.