A child’s first visit to our office is a fun and enjoyable experience. From the moment your little one gets a first tooth until they leave the nest, we are here for you! Preparing your child for their first visit is easy. Reading books relating to first dental visits is a great way to introduce routine dental care. Using the same terminology that we will use is also a great way to help your child feel more at ease about coming in, for instance; the mirror resembles a spoon – you could practice looking at your child’s teeth with a spoon. Polishing is often described as “tickling” the teeth; “counting teeth” is when we examine teeth; taking “pictures” is used to describe the x-rays.
Our waiting area has an ideal spot for little ones with a great play area and a large screen TV playing Disney movies. We have a “Healthy Smile Club” board located in the play area full of pictures of all the kids who are cavity free! Your child’s picture could be there and those who are cavity free will be entered in a monthly drawing for a Chucky Cheese $30 gift card! When your child is called back he/she will get the opportunity to meet one of our large stuffed animals; we have monthly drawing for them and every child that comes in for a visit during that month gets entered into the drawing. The kids get so excited to enter the drawing and visit the animal in the hallway. At night, the animal is placed in one of our windows so don’t forget to wave as you drive by the office!
The most important part of your child’s first visit is to help him/her become comfortable with the staff and have a positive experience. We will accommodate the appointment according to how your child responds to the new situation. We will show your child how the chair goes up and down and what the light looks like when we turn it on. We offer sunglasses to wear. We have a TV on the ceiling with child friendly channels to watch during the visit. The assistant or hygienist will visit with the parent and child about brushing and flossing technique, frequency, and dietary habits of the child. Don’t worry if your child does not cooperate because he/she eventually will when ready. We will, at the very least, do a quick exam from the dentist to make sure everything is healthy. We recommend starting your routine dental visits as early as 1 year old and especially by age 3.
Children who are ready for a full visit will enjoy watching the TV while their teeth are being polished (tickled) and then examined by one of our fabulous Dentists! We will be taking x-rays (all of our rooms are equipped with digital x-rays technology which for you means faster x-rays with minimal radiation) and placing a Fluoride Treatment to help keep their teeth strong and healthy. At the conclusion of the appointment, your child will be able to choose a fabulous prize from out prize area. They will have such a great experience and will look forward to their next cleaning appointment!