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A lot of times we are asked on what to say or not say before a childs first visit at our Dental office. We have a few suggestions on how you should handle this important discussion. At Pearl Family Dental we recognize that every child is different. Thankfully, most children have a reasonably good time at the Dental office, but some don't. There are 30 million or so Dental Phobics in our society today and surely some of them got that way because their visits to the Dentist were not as pleasant as it could have been. We are sure that some of this fear stems from early childhood. At Pearl Family Dental, we are more concerned about the child having a pleasant and comfortable visit..... and very importantly not be afraid to come back. Please realize that most Dental problems are not life threatening and with little bit of time and understanding most treatments can be acheived in a safe manner. A lot of times all you need is spend a few extra hours in the beginning and your child will be a good dental patient for life.
So...with that basic understanding of our philosophy, what do we want you to say about your child's upcoming Dental Visit? a) Please say that you will be taking your child to see a new Dental Office. Please avoid saying, "Don't worry or It does not hurt" etc. These will usually have the opposite effect and make the child worried needlessly.
b) If the child, being naturally curious, were to ask why, you could say something like, "We are going to have him count your teeth, take pictures of them and maybe brush your teeth. After than you can get your face painted or get a cool glowing balloon!" (We give those to our young patients) How you phrase your answers might effect the outcome. If you are not sure on how to answer a particular question, you could choose to write the questions down and have us answer it.
c)It is very important that YOU do not feel stressed during the appointment or before it. Your feelings will be read by your children very well. During the visit some parents feel the need to get a set of goals accomplished. We realize that you have to take time off your busy schedule. Most children do well and are able to get needed work done. But there are some, who are shy or anxious and need a few visits to the place before they are comfortable. We are willing to spend the time to make your child comfortable if you are.
d) What will happen during your child's First Dental Visit at Pearl Family Dental?
You will be greeted by our front office team member and asked to fill out relevant forms pertaining to your child. If you deem appropriate, please ask our team member to choose a movie or cartoon that your child might enjoy. Next you and your child will be shown a tour of the office. After this depending on how comfortable your child is with our team, we will clean his or her teeth,take dental x-rays if needed and apply flouride to prevent cavities. 9 out of 10 patients things go smoothly. However, every once in a while, a child might get apprehensive. We might choose to not push at this point. We might accomplish as much as they are comfortable and set another appointment in a week or so.We believe eventually they will come around.
You are welcome to visit your child's treatment area but please be a silent partner. We feel it is very important that you not instruct your child during your time with us. We will definitely take your permission before we do anything but please let us handle your child. All you do is maybe spend a few extra hours in the beginning and he/she will be a good dental patient for life.
If you need a General Dentist in the Fredericksburg and Stafford area to take care of your child in a Compassionate way call us at 540 3708504 and email your questions or concerns at smile@pearlfamilydental.com or pearlfamilydental@hotmail.com I always answer my emails!
(A lot of this information is from my experience and Dr. Alan Pike's Building a NO Fear Practice book)