Children are the most precious commodity produced by the human race. While we are very careful about what they are exposed to, we need to also be very careful about the early experiences that they have in life. Many of these experiences will quickly form their opinions, phobias, and anxieties that they carry throughout the rest of their lives. This is certainly true with dental services. Early dental care is critical to ensuring the proper development and alignment of a child’s teeth, but more importantly is helping the child develop a healthy relationship with their dentist. When choosing a Dentist for children there are several things that you want to look for.
A children’s dentist is more commonly referred to as a Pediatric dentist. This is someone who has taken the time to specialize in this area of study in addition to their basic dentistry studies. They have been prepared to identify and address the problems that are most commonly found in children and adolescents, but more importantly they have been trained to put your child at ease.
When choosing a Dentist for children, one of the most important things is the dentist’s personality. While they may be perfectly capable of doing the work, if they do not have the personality to win the children over, they will have a hard time placing them at ease. Look for someone that is warm and friendly, and that has a good chair side manner. Look for an environment within the clinic that is bright, fun and kid friendly. Many pediatric offices are decorated with themes, and colorful teaching tools that they use to assist them in making the visit fun.
Prepare your child for their first appointment by going to the library and checking books out about going to the dentist. Discuss the things that they will see and the things that the dentist will do. Let them practice opening their mouths and allowing you to look in it, explain that this is what to expect. Allow them to take a favorite toy or item with them to the dentist office. This will assist in providing personal comfort.
