The Happy Visit:
a Child's First
Dental Visit
A child going to the dentist for the first time is often a handful of anxieties. Any dentist or hygienist using the right techniques can transform the most terrified child into a cooperative patient who is no longer afraid - a child who will leave the office with a smile on his face.
All children should be socialized into the dental setting with what we call "happy visits" beginning by age two. This no-stress visit would be tailored to the child's level of maturity and self-confidence. A ride in the "cool dentist chair", playing with the air-water squirter, and seeing a big sister do all this are all steps to successful rapport building with the tiniest of patients.
The first thing a dentist must do is convince the child of his honesty. Children are smart. They are not easily fooled. If a youngster is promised that a particular thing will be done, the dentist had better be sure he does it.
Usually, the dentist begins with something easy. He says, "Today I am going to count your teeth. " And, after that, come what may, he must count the teeth, using whatever means necessary. Remember this: The child often cries before anything is done to him (even a first haircut). He is not hurt, and the dentist has to prove that he can be trusted to do exactly what he says he is going to do- no more, no less. The noise and hysterics generally disappear after the first visit. If the dentist establishes his reliability and that he is trustworthy, there will rarely be any more concern.