North Orange Family Dentistry

At the beginning of the school year, our oldest went for her first dentist appointment. Thank you North Orange Family Dentistry for sponsoring this post.

According to our DO, we were scheduled to visit the dentist by her 3rd birthday. If nighttime bottle feedings were something included in our daily routine, then we would have visited the dentist sooner. Check with your Doctor about when your children should schedule their first dental appointment.

Before going to the dentist, we talked a lot about “who” is the dentist and “what” they do. Below I’ve included tip for parents, and kid-friendly resources to prepare you and your little ones for their first visit.

When we arrived, my oldest started to get a little bit of anxiety.

As we walked to the room, she really started to become frightened looking at all the dental equipment; however, we had a great hygienist that explained what to expect during the appointment:

1. Counting teeth to make sure she had all 20 baby teeth.

2. Flossing techniques.

3. Brushing and allowing our daughter to pick out her toothpaste flavor.

4. Seeing the Dentist for a final examination.

The appointment was less than 20 minutes total (perfect for an antsy toddler). Since the Dentist didn’t have any concerns, it was recommended that we return around 6 months for a follow up. Once finished, our Dentist gave out a token that could be exchanged for a small gift in the front of the office. Our Dentist also gave a small bag of dental goodies: a princess toothbrush, toothpaste and floss.

We definitely left North Orange Family Dentistry with a different attitude than arriving.

Thank you to the staff for being so patient, friendly and kind to my frightened toddler!

Tips for Parents:

Sneak Peak. If you’re able to take your child with you to your dental appointment. That way they can witness you getting your teeth cleaned/checked that can help ease their anxiety.

Learn more about the appointment. Online resources are a great starting points for education. Below I’ve attached some resources to expose your child to dental health and dental visits.

Dramatic Play. Play around at home and take turns being the dentist. Examine, count and look at teeth in the mirror so your child is familiar for their dental examination.

Resources:

Here are a few resources to prepare you and your little ones for their first dental appointments:

1. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood- Daniel’s First Dental Visit

2. Coloring Pages

3. Delta Dental’s Online Resources