Your Child’s First-Visit

First Visit

Your child’s first visit to our office should be an enjoyable one. As a parent, we want both you and your child to feel confident and positive about your this first dental check-up. Our office makes a special effort to use non-frightening simple words to describe dental treatment with your child.

When Should My Child Visit the Dentist

The American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends your child’s first dental visit occur within six months after your baby’s first tooth, but no later than your child’s first birthday. It’s important for children to visit the dentist no later than the age of 3.

What To Expect

The first few dental visits we focus on helping your child feel comfortable and helping your child get acquainted with the dental environment. It’s important to ease them into the dentist and make sure it’s a positive experience. Once a child is a toddler a dentist will gently examine their teeth and gums looking for decay and problems. If necessary, the child’s teeth may be cleaned.

If you have any fears of going to the dentist, you should not share these fears with your children.

Be Positive

Remain positive and excited about your child’s first dental visit and they will have a much better first experience. We recommend using positive words and associations to describe the upcoming visit and begin preparing them a couple weeks in advance.

5 Ways to Prepare Your Child for the Dentist

1. Talk positively about the dentist, never share any fears you have with your child.
2. Begin preparing them for the visit ahead of time by mentioning what the dentist does and why it’s important
3. Create positive associations. You can do this by reminding them about the toys, activities and stickers the dentist has, telling them about the tooth fairy, or providing positive reinforcement about brushing their teeth and coming to the dentist
4. Read children’s books on going to the dentist. This can help prepare a child for their first experience and give them positive references. Here are a few books we recommend.
5. Book a tour of our office and KIDSZONE. To ease your nerves and ease your child into the experience, we welcome you to book a tour to see our office and meet our staff before you schedule an appointment.
   
   

Example: How to Talk to Your Child
About the Dentist

While helping her child brush her teeth, Reese’s mom reminds her each time of why we brush our teeth and her upcoming visit to the dentist.


“Good job brushing your teeth. We want to keep them nice and clean so they are happy. The Tooth Fairy doesn’t like sugar in your teeth so we want to make sure we brush them good so they are sparkly just like her.


Soon we’re going to go to the dentist so he/she can look at your teeth and tell you what a good job you’re doing. The dentist helps keep your teeth sparkly too. Just like the doctor, they help us feel good.”

We are always happy to give you and your child a tour of our KIDSZONE before your first visit.

Schedule A Tour

What to Expect at Your Child’s First Dental Visit

The typical first dental appointment for your child could include one or more of the following:

• A tour and fun introduction to the dental visit to ease both parents and children
• Time to ask questions and address any concerns before we begin
• A gentle but thorough examination of the teeth, bite, gums, and oral tissues to
  monitor growth and development and check for any problem areas
• A gentle cleaning
• X-rays
• Oral Hygiene instructions
• Fluoride treatment if necessary
• Home Fluoride needs assessment

Most importantly, when your child leaves our office, he or she will have trust and confidence about coming to the dentist. Our goal for the first visit is for your child to feel comfortable, proud and to have fun!

Kids Zone

Our office is designed with a special “Kids Zone” to welcome your child to our office. The Kids Zone has fun activities, toys and games to play. Click here to take a tour.

Click Here to Take A Tour

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Your Child’s First Dental Visit FAQS:

What can I do to prepare my child for their first dental appointment?

Once we verify that Invisalign® is the best option for you, we create an individual treatment plan to determine exactly how your teeth are straightened. At this time, we will be able to let you know if you qualify for orthodontic insurance benefits and the estimated cost and length of treatment.

When the treatment plan is complete, your records are sent to Invisalign® along with the dentist’s instructions. Using the latest advances in 3-D computer technology, Invisalign® will translate our instructions into a series of precisely customized aligners.

You will wear each set of aligners for about two weeks. Each set of aligners will gradually move your teeth closer and closer to the desired result. You will need to wear these aligners all the time except when you are eating, drinking, or cleaning your teeth.

A beautiful and confident smile can brighten your everyday life, make you look and feel good, and it’s contagious! What are you waiting for?

Contact us today for a free smile consultation.

What Our Parents Say

My daughter loves the dentist now-the Kid’s Zone is fantastic. T.C.  

Amazing practice. Friendly. Prompt. We continue to be amazed by how smoothly our visits go. Everyone is so nice and friendly. My kids were excited to go get their cavities filled!!!! M.P.  

Our daughter (4) recently had a “pink & purple polka dot sugarbug” (cavity) removed by Dr. Gore…..when we got in the truck, she told me how much fun she had in her numbed-cheek little voice! Not a tear was shed nor a lip quivered. Dr. Gore and his staff were so comforting to both her… Brent Wittersheim  

Book an Appointment or tour

Submit this form and we'll give you a cal within one business day. For immediate assistance give us a call today,

(804) 794-4588 Midlothian Location
(804) 272-6800 Bon Air Location

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