Little Apple Pediatric Dentistry

(785) 776-7242

Preparing Your Child
for Their First Visit

Prior to their first visit to Little Apple Pediatric Dentistry, we encourage you to talk with your child about visiting the dentist in a positive, age-appropriate way. If you have your own dental fear or anxiety, we encourage you to avoid passing that along to your child. Stay away from words like “needle”, “drill”, or “hurt”. A visit to the dentist can be a fun adventure if framed the correct way. Setting a positive tone for the first dental visit can dramatically affect future visits and even young children’s lifelong oral health journey.

Teeth brushing lesson Little Apple Pediatric Dentistry
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Young patient during a dental exam

The First Visit: What to Expect

On the first visit, your child will be introduced to our dental team. They will be shown all the instruments the dentist will use on the first visit (like our tiny mouth mirror and tooth counter). Our dental team will educate everyone on the importance of preventive home care skills that help our teeth stay healthy and strong.

Dr. Bryant will then gently examine your child’s teeth, gums, and the remainder of the mouth.  If they are younger, we may have them sit in a parent’s lap facing the parent and have them lay back towards the dentist.  We call this a “lap exam” and this can help the dentist do a thorough exam quickly.

Depending on the age and comfort level of the child, thorough cleaning of the teeth and a fluoride treatment might be completed.  X-rays will only be taken only if necessary and usually beginning around age 3. The x-rays help us to detect tooth decay between teeth and also assess the development of permanent teeth.  A developmental check is always completed and referrals are made to a local orthodontist when necessary.   If additional treatment needs, such as fillings, are diagnosed, additional appointments will be scheduled.

The First Visit: At Your Child's Pace

At Little Apple Pediatric Dentistry, we recognize that all children are unique and have individual sensitivities.  If your child is apprehensive, we take the time to help them understand what we do during their appointment.  We want all of our patients to leave our office with smiles on their faces.

We have found that children tend to exhibit more bravery and independence when examined without their parents present. For this reason, children aged 3 and up will walk back to the examination area with a trusted member of our team while their parents remain in our waiting area.

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