Your Child’s Visit

At Taylor Dentistry, our goal is to provide your child with the best dental care while maintaining a friendly, non-threatening environment. In addition, we feel it is equally important to keep all parents informed about their child's dental health. Following checkups, our doctors speak with parents to explain exam findings, oral hygiene tips, and any treatment needed. At your child's first appointment, whether it's their first visit to our office or the first ever visit to the dentist, we will explain and show your child using simple, non-threatening terms. This technique, called "tell-show-do", has been a proven method to allow children to become comfortable and familiar in the dental setting. Maintaining communication with our young patients and their parents allows us to have relationships that build trust and understanding. Ultimately, this leads to positive, enjoyable experiences at the dentist now and for a lifetime.

What happens at the first dental visit? At your child's first visit, we will check the teeth for decay, check the gums and soft tissues, examine your child's bite. If indicated we will take x-rays. We will usually clean the teeth and give the child a fluoride treatment. All procedures will be explained to the patient in age appropriate terms. Following the examination, we will discuss all of the findings with the parent, discuss prevention strategies individualized for the child, and answer any questions you may have.

When should I schedule my child's first visit to the dentist? The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that a child is seen by 6 months after his/her first tooth erupts or by 1 year of age, whichever comes first. The reason the AAPD recommends dental examinations this early is to prevent dental disease. We will discuss strategies on toothbrushing, type of toothpaste to use, snacking, and other issues that can be very helpful in preventing future dental problems.

How can I prepare my child for their first dental appointment? Do's: 1. Do tell your child about the appointment and use a positive approach. 2. Do show your child pictures of the office on our website 3. Do speak in "matter of fact" terms. Don'ts: 1. Don't make too big an issue about visiting the dentist. 2. Don't discuss difficult visits that you have had at the dentist. 3. Don't use terms like ‘shot’, ‘hurt’, and ‘drill’.