Your baby’s first visit
A major milestone for your family
Get Started Early
Have you ever wondered when your child should visit the dentist for the first time? If so, you are among many parents who frequently ask the same question.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Dental Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that children have their first dental check-up no later than 6 months of age or by the time their first baby tooth comes in.
Believe it or not, dental problems can arise with only a few baby teeth. That’s why early evaluation is important. More than 1 in 4 children in the US have had at least one cavity by the early age of 4, so don’t wait until it’s too late. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
What Should You Expect
The moment you walk through the doors of our office, you and your baby will be greeted warmly by our amazing front desk coordinator. After making sure you’re comfortable and oriented to our waiting room, she will provide you the initial forms we need you to complete including informed consent and medical history.
When ready, one of our fabulous dental assistants will guide you to your baby’s examination room. We’ll spend a few minutes getting to know each other and explaining what we will be doing in more detail.
Typically, this is a quick appointment where most of the time is spent talking with you. We’ll share information about preventive measures that can be taken to avoid cavities and trauma such as diet, hygiene, injury prevention and what to do in case of an emergency. We’ll also cover breastfeeding, thumb sucking and pacifier use, as well as evaluate your baby for tongue or lip ties.
Then we’ll perform a gentle examination in a ‘knee-to-knee’ position. Here you and the Dr. sit on a chair facing each other with your child sitting on your lap, facing you. You then lower the child’s head onto the doctor’s lap so you and the dentist can see clearly into your child’s mouth and your child can look up at you.
If any teeth are present, our doctor will clean them with a soft toothbrush and demonstrate our recommended method for brushing, Topical fluoride may be placed on your child’s teeth as well. If your baby cries during the exam, no need to worry. That is perfectly normal behavior for the age!
After the cleaning and evaluation, if any treatments are recommended, Dr. G or Dr. A will discuss them with you and answer all of your questions. We want to provide the information you need to determine the best approach for your child’s care.
And of course if you have any other questions or concerns after the appointment, please call us. You will leave with your doctor’s direct number and are welcome to call at any time.