1St Dental Visit

I just took my three year old to her first visit today. I think I was more nervous than she was. I just explained to her what they would be doing. I told her she would get to pick out a new toothbrush. That made her excited about going. Everyone at the office was great and explained what they were going to do first. Everything went well. I took her to lunch to reward her for being such a big girl.
Good luck

Hi, I'm a dental hygienist and I've been in dental for over 14 years. What we do at our office is more of a "happy visit" we show them everything we use and why we use it. If the child doesn't want to do anything, we do not force them. As the parent, let the person who takes them back be the one "in charge" for that time. Make sure you don't give him any reason to have a negitive attitude towards going. A lot of times parents, older siblings will tease them by saying "oh it's going to hurt", or "you are going to get a shot" make sure there is a lot of positive reinforcement.
Good Luck!!!!

Yup - check out Usborne's "Going to the Dentist" at http://tinyurl.com/3arc99
It's a great one to prep with! My son loves to go, since we hae made it an event - something a big boy gets to do. He does great, even with cleanings.

My son will also be visiting the dentist for the first time--we are also approaching his 3rd birthday, and have been reading the old standard The Berenstain Bears Go To The Dentist. Now we just talk about how he will go to the dentist like the bears, and he seems to find the whole idea quite agreeable. My son is a very reserved and cautious little boy, so if he warmed up to the idea with this book, it must be doing something to calm his nerves. The book discusses some fears little kids may have, and is easy for my son to recall and retell, so he really understands what will go on at the dentist. Also, I think the more relaxed and nonchalant you are about it, he will be as well. Good luck!

I took my daughters with me on one of my visits so they could see what would happen and the dentist put them up in the chair and just counted their teeth, then the next time they had their cleaning, everything went very well and they were not scared at all.

HI!
There's a book that we used, it's a Dora the Explorer visits the Dentist. Also, Usborne has one ... "My First Trip to the Dentist" that's good. I don't have it, but I do have an Usborne webpage where you can order it. www.ubah.com/R2600 Also, in preparing for the dentist, we "play" dentist in the bathroom. While the children (ages 3&4) are brushing we'll knock at the door and tell them we're the dentist coming to check their brushing! They really seem to like it 'o). At the dentist's office, my son laid on my chest his back to my front and the doc cleaned his teeth that way. My daughter (a.k.a. fearless) simply hopped up into the chair all by herself.

Good Luck!
TH

I just took my son to the dentist for the first time. He's autistic and has HUGE sensitivity in his face and mouth. I was completely dreading the experience. But the dentist we went to was absolutely WONDERFUL. His staff was WONDERFUL. And my son had a good experience. If you aren't seeing a pediatric dentist (I saw Peter Mielke in Maplewood), I would recommend it if you're really worried. My friend took her son to a regular dentist that was just awful to her son. Now, even 8 years later, her son is terrified of going. The first experience is so important.

We just did this with our daughter. She did really well until the x-ray part. She got the fronts done, but the sides hurt a bit so she cried and then the appointment was pretty much over.

See if they can do the x-ray part last. Also, we practiced a little before hand. I would look in her teeth with a toothpick, a popsicle stick, and mirror. We'd clean/floss her teeth, and then she did me. We used a towel for our bib and we even did x-rays. It was fun playing that game, and it prepared her for how it would be at the dentists office.

I remembered when I was little, always getting to go to a donut shop after the dentist and getting to pick out a huge donut. (Which is kind of wierd when you think of it...) But, I continued that with my daughter and she loved it. She had a great experience. We never get donuts, so it was quite a treat for her.

It doesn't have to be a donut, but some other treat/reward that you can continue might be a fun little incentive and something that your son can have a choice in makes them feel like big people.

If he is so laid back then I would not make a big deal about it. We read Usborne's book "Going to the Dentist" to prep for our second attempt at the dentist. Our 1st experience was horrible (I wrote a post last spring) but our second attempt at the dentist was a delight, my son loved everyone in the office. If you have anxiety about dentists I would encourage you to remain in the waiting room (within earshot of your son) because even controlled anxiety can still be sensed by the child.

We took our daughter when she was three also, and we just took her to our dentist here in Woodbury. I was nervous about it, but was told that some kids take a few visits to actually finish and some do it the first time. They were great about it and said they don't charge until you actually complete it. So I didn't make a big deal about it at all leading up to it, no books, no talking about it, etc. Just that day I mentioned we were heading to the dentist so they could look at her pretty teeth and they were going to clean them all up. I mentioned she's a big girl now just like mom. It was a great experience. She got right in the chair and they did the entire exam and cleaning with no problems. The hygentist was awesom, she explained everything she did first, showed her the instruments, etc. I think sometimes we tend to put our fears onto them and we don't need to. Every child is different, but sometimes making a huge deal about it way beforehand is the problem. Good luck!

Have you thought of a pediatric dentist? My daughter goes to one in Eagan and they make it fun and everything is "childsize" including the patient chairs you have your teeth looked at in.

My daughter loves to go to the doctor, eyedoctor but HATES the dentist. Infact I just told my her she's almost 6 that she has to go next week and she started to cry. She's had 3 cavaties though and some dental problems. What bother's her more than anything at the dentist is when they brush her teeth, not doing a filling or anything like that so it's weird.

I know at my daughter's dentist their first time there they make them watch this cartoon video on what to expect and what happens to relax them.

Good luck! And your a smart mom for bringing him at 3. I can't tell you how many kids don't see a dentist and have nasty looking teeth from neglect of dental care.My neighbors next door have 3 kids all teens and they haven't been to the dentist is years, yet have insurance. They're teeth look horrible, it makes me sick. That's what motivates me to bring my daughter no matter what even if she screams and crys.

My children go to my husbands dentist and they are awesome...what they had us do is bring the kids in prior to watch dad, and they kind of did a pre mini visit to get them ready. My daughter has not had her 1st visit yet, but my son likes to go...mostly I think because of the prize box and they are si super nice. We also read books about the dentist. I also took pictures and made a scrapbook page, he thought that was cool too...
C.