How do I make my child’s first dental visit positive ?

How do I make my child’s first dental visit positive ?

We all want the dental visit to be a good experience. As paediatric dentists, we prefer to leave the tooth, if it means creating a positive dental experience!

We know from research that parents with dental fears and anxiety pass these anxieties on to their children. Having a calm approach with a relaxed and positive outlook is indeed vital. Dental visits should be made to be routine a part of life, rather than a regular horror visit. Many books and websites can be used to guide children thoughts and create positive perceptions of upcoming visits. Asking friends, families and other trusted professionals regarding practices catering to children or dentists that restrict practice to treating children may also help. Dental teams that look forward to treating children, use positive imagery, distraction techniques and forms of behaviour management can also help children.