My child is very afraid of going to the doctor. How do I prepare him/her for the first dental visit?
Talk to your child about the dental visit in a positive way. For young children, describe the visit as meeting a new dentist friend, having your teeth counted and getting their teeth shined. There are books talking about children’s dental visit (The Berenstein Bears, Dora the Explorer, Barney, etc.) that parents can read to their child before the appointment. It is also helpful for young children to watch older siblings having their teeth checked. You may also bring your child to our office for a short tour so that he / she is more comfortable with the environment at the “real appointment”.
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