First Visit

At Baitner Pediatric Dentistry we know that when it comes to your children, their health is a top priority. That’s why we recommend that your child start seeing a dentist as young as 1, or when his or her first tooth starts coming in. It is also important that they get used to regular dental visits and adopt a good oral hygiene at a young age.

Choosing a dentist and having that dentist develop a relationship with your child is crucial to their overall opinion about the dentist and taking good care of their teeth. That’s why the first visit is so important. It’s also important that the first visit is a positive one and as enjoyable as possible.

If your child is old enough to understand what is going on, it is important to explain to them that they are going to see the dentist and that the dentist will talk to them about what he or she is going to do during the visit. It’s also important to keep them calm. Avoid any words that might strike unnecessary fear in the child. That includes words such as “hurt”, “pain”, “needle”, or “shot”. If they think the dentist office is a scary place, they will develop a fear at a young age that could result in them avoiding the dentist as they get older.

For their first visit, we also welcome you to accompany your child through their visit. After the first visit, though, we recommend that your child go through their visit alone. This allows us to build a rapport with your child and make them feel comfortable. Our goal is to gain the trust of your child so that they get excited for the dentist and have positive experiences.