When do I schedule my baby’s first dentist appointment?
This is a great question, and one that is asked in our office all the time. The answer might surprise you and is sooner than most think. The American Dental Association as well as the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry both suggest your little bundle of joy is seen by a dentist anytime before his/her first birthday. Seem too soon? Well, not if you want to start a good preventive dental routine for your baby. The early timing of a first visit does surprise many parents, but we encourage ths early visit for several reasons. Plus, all of us here at Rhoades Family Dentistry LOVE our little mini patients!
Your first visit will usually be a short 10-15 minute visit, designed to introduce your little one to our dentist office in a cheerful and safe way, to meet our fabulous hygienists and to meet our amazing dentists, Dr. Hahn and Dr. Driscoll. We suggest you schedule this appointment at a happy time of day for your child, so they have every opportunity for that first visit to go well. We want your little guy or gal to be excited and happy to meet all of us!
During your first visit, the dentist will do a relaxing, fun exam. She checks their teeth, gums, early signs of tooth decay and checks for full-on cavities. Checking where and how the teeth are coming in and how well the teeth are being cleaned are other things the Dentist will look at. The dentist will go over how to practice good oral care for your growing baby. She will also be able to answer any dental questions you have for her.
To prepare your little one for their first dental appointment at Rhoades Family Dentistry here in Olathe, be sure you start by talking about it in a positive way. If kids show any fears of the dentist that early, it is sometimes cross-referenced confusion with going to the pediatrician and what happens there. Nothing like that will happen at their first dental visit, so you can assure them it will be easy. Show excitement and explain the importance of caring for our teeth.
Books, books, books – so many great books out there for young ones talking about the dentist and dental care. One of our favorites is Barney Goes to the Dentist. Let them know after being a good patient, they get to go to our treasure box and pick out a prize! They also get a NEW toothbrush! We have stickers! Don’t forget our huge list of movies. From Frozen to Star Wars and everything in between, we have tons of movies to entertain patients during their visits! What about our fantastic train table that boys and girls LOVE?! Not to mention our life size Scooby Doo that loves seeing our little patients!
See? What a fun first trip to Rhoades Family Dentistry! Before you leave our office, make sure you schedule your little one’s next appointment. Unless the dentist has other plans, we will see your precious baby every 6 months thereafter to maintain great oral health. In the meantime, brush two times a day with age appropriate toothpaste and floss daily.
Call to set up that first appointment today!
Have a great week,
Your baby-crazy friends at Rhoades Family Dentistry in Olathe, Kansas.
