Children and Dental Exams

Children should start receiving dental exams as soon as they are able to sit still for the exam, usually around the age of three. The first experiences your child has at the dentist's office determines how they view dental examinations for the rest of their life.

You can make your child's trips to the dentist a normal, even fun, experience. Since most children have little or no preconceived ideas about dentists and dentistry, they are usually not afraid of having a dental exam. However, children will pick up feelings, ideas and anxiety about dental exams from their parents. Therefore it's important to treat any dental visit as casually as a trip to the supermarket. One of the most successful ways to prepare your child for a dental examination is to have the child accompany a parent or older sibling when they come in for an examination. This way the child becomes familiar with the office before having his or her own examination. They usually get a toy from the toy chest, see that nothing unpleasant happens to them or their parents/siblings, and are happy to come back.

A child's first visit is usually a routine exam. The amount of treatment provided is based on the child's personality and abilities. It is very important for the child to control how much can be done so as not to have him or her traumatized by the visit. Children who do not learn to fear trips to the dentist can grow up anxiety-free dental patients, having and maintaining teeth that would make any parent proud.