Your Child’s First Pediatric Dental Visit

A pediatric dentist is a trained dentist who specializes in providing dental care for infants and young teens. They have experience and qualifications to care for a child’s unique dental needs. Children typically begin to get their teeth around the first six months of life and will generally start to lose their primary baby teeth at around age 6 or 7 years. Visiting a pediatric dentist regularly during these transitional years will keep your child’s teeth healthy and spot any problems early. According to the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry, a child’s primary teeth should be cared for until it is naturally lost. The American Association of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that a child should visit a dentist by age one or when the first tooth erupts.

Tips to help ease your child’s first dental visit

Choose a pediatric dental practice.

• Learn more about the pediatric dental practice by looking up information from the clinic website. This will help you decided what the dental practice offers and what to expect on your first visit.

• Help ease your child’s fear by reading books and learning about dental health. Play dentist by examining your child’s mouth and teeth, and let them examine yours. Playing dentist will help your child feel comfortable during the dental examination.

• Schedule the first dental visit to establish a primary pediatric dental healthcare provider.

• Schedule a time that your child is active and not tired. A well-rested child makes visiting the dentist feel more relaxed and comfortable.

• Bring your child’s complete medical and any dental history records. This information will help your dentist evaluate your child’s health and dental history.

• Know what your dental health insurance covers, and if the clinic accepts your insurance. Bring your dental health insurance card to every visit if you have dental insurance. This will help with billing.

• Determine the satisfaction of your first visit by evaluating the dentist and support staff if they did everything possible to help your child feel comfortable during the visit.

• Communicate any concerns you may have about your child’s oral health to the dentist. Be engaged with the dentist, when the dentist informs you about your child’s tooth development and oral health, and ask questions if you don’t understand.

• Regularly make dental appointments for a dental check-up.

Be sure to contact California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 for your child’s first dental appointment. Your child will have a healthy smile today and in the future!