At Wabash Valley Children’s Dentistry, we really try to make you feel at home. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that patients choose a “dental home” prior to their first birthday. They define this dental home as a place where children can receive compassionate, coordinated, family-centered, accessible, effective, comprehensive care. This care includes a concise prevention, growth, and development plan.

You should expect your child to feel comfortable and relaxed. It is important to take this first step in establishing healthy dental habits that will last a lifetime. Our goal is to keep their dental care personal, fun, and free of stress. The majority of first time exams are not extremely long. We will take x-rays, and if needed, provide a cleaning and thorough exam. The first appointment is a great opportunity to discuss brushing and flossing, foods that are nutritious and good for your teeth, prevention, and what to expect going forward, as your child continues to grow. We will be counting, brushing, and taking pictures of your child’s teeth. After the exam is completed, we will communicate our findings, answer questions, and determine a treatment plan that best suits the needs of your child.

Please try to discuss with your children prior to their first exam, what a dentist is, using positive, enthusiastic, and age-appropriate, kid-friendly language. You can tell them that they are going to get their teeth brushed and looked at to make sure they are healthy and strong. If you don’t know how to answer their questions, tell them to write them down and they can ask us all the questions they have. This will help you and our team use similar words and phrases to describe what we are going to do. Please avoid words like: shot, drill, pull, or needles and don’t tell them “it won’t hurt,” because then they start thinking that it might hurt. Generally, less is more when it comes to talking to them about their upcoming appointment. We will walk them through each step as we go along. It is also important to remain upbeat and positive to transmit those positive emotions to your child. If you are nervous or apprehensive, your child may mirror those emotions as well. You can also show them the pictures of the office on the website so that they can become familiar with their surroundings prior to the visit.

Our purpose is to gain your child’s trust and provide them with the most positive dental experiences possible. We strive to build personal lifelong relationship with each and every patient and their family.

Things you want to bring with you to the first appointment include your completed patient form and your insurance card.

Your child’s first dental visit is to help your child feel comfortable with the dentist. The first dental visit is recommended by 12 months of age, or within 6 months of the first tooth coming in. Just like adults, children should see the dentist every 6 months. Some dentists may schedule visits more often, such as every 3 months. This can build comfort and confidence in the child. More frequent visits can also help keep an eye on a development problem.