When is the recommended age for the child s first dental visit?
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends the child s first dental visit occur shortly after the child s first birthday. If you choose to take your child to a general dentist, they usually do not want to see the child until they are 4-5 years of age. However, for a number of reasons, the earlier the child visits the dentist, the better. First, the earlier the child is introduced to the pediatric dental environment, the less anxiety they will have regarding the dental visit. Second, the earlier dental decay is diagnosed, the earlier it can be controlled. Third, the parent is able to understand questions regarding eruption schedules, brushing recommendations, fluoride questions, pacifier recommendations, bottle or breast feeding questions and any other questions regarding the child s dental health.
