What Happens at Your Child’s First Dental Visit?

Your child’s first visit can be frightening if they don’t know what to expect or have heard negative things about visiting the dentist.

To minimise fear and ensure the experience is as positive as possible, it’s important that parents know what to expect and can prepare their child for their first visit.

What happens at the first visit?

During your child’s first or subsequent visits, the dentist may:

• Assess your child’s risk of dental problems such as decay or crooked teeth
• Clean your child’s teeth
• Provide dental treatment
• Apply a fluoride treatment
• Take an X-ray of your child’s teeth
• Provide oral health care hygiene tips, such as showing them how to clean their own teeth
• Refer your child to other dental specialists (such as a paediatric dentist or orthodontist)

Preparing your child for a visit

When your child is old enough to understand a visit to the dentist and have worries or fears, it may be helpful to prepare him or her to limit or overcome any anxiety.

This first visit can set the tone for all future visits. Here are some simple do’s and don’ts for parents:

Do:

• Talk to your child about the visit. Explain what will happen, but make it simple. Tell your child that the dentist will “count” and “take pictures” of his or her teeth.
• Talk to your dentist about any worries your child may have. Work together to help limit them. For example, if you know your child does not like “scary tools,” the dentist may be able to keep them out of sight.
• Look for books that explain what it is like to go to the dentist. They usually contain pictures to help explain what happens. They also let your child see what the inside of a dental office looks like.
• Ask your child to draw a picture of his or her mouth or teeth to take to the dentist. Your child can then talk about this to begin the visit.

Don’t:

• Don’t communicate any fear you have to your child.
• Don’t talk about how the dentist scares you or how bad your last visit was.
• Don’t use words like “shots,” “drills,” or “needles.”
• Don’t bribe your child into going to the dentist or use a dental visit as a punishment.

To make your child’s first visit positive and set the tone for their future dental visits, book their appointment with a child-friendly My Kids Dentist member. Simply enter your postcode to find your nearest My Kids Dentist dental professional.