First Visit

We are confident your child will be comfortable in our office for their routine cleanings and checkups. The first visit is to get to know the child and parent. We will talk to you about oral hygiene, oral habits, and developmental milestones. The doctor will do a examination appropriate with behavior to look for any areas of concern. For the little ones (two years and younger), the exam is completed with a lap exam, where the parent will hold the child and lean them back onto the dentist's knees. The dentist will also brush the child's teeth and apply a topical fluoride varnish ("tooth vitamins").

For children three years and older, they will typically lay in the "big kid chair" and be introduced to an animal themeed polisher and common dental instruments. The doctor will complete an exam and answer any questions and then the fluoride varnish will be applied. All children leave with a prize at the end of the appointment!

In most cases routine dental treatment for kids five years and older can be completed comfortably with local anesthetic ("sleepy juice") and nitrous oxide ("happy air"). If more extensive treatment is needed or we have specific behavior management concerns, we will complete a referral to a pediatric specialist, with whom we maintain a close relationship.

At Home

It is important that your child’s newly erupted teeth (erupting at 6-12 months of age) receive proper dental care and benefits from proper oral hygiene habits right from the beginning. The moment you see the first teeth, start brushing them lightly with a toothbrush and fluoride free toothpaste. Typically, a very small (rice grain size) fluoridated toothpaste can be used starting around one year of age. Once a child is able to spit properly (around three years old), you can start using a pea sized dab of flouridated toothpaste. It's important that children don't swallow too much toothpaste; The effectiveness of the fluoride acts with direct contact topically on the teeth. If a child tends to get cavities more easily or to guard against future cavities, it is a good idea not to rinse off the toothpaste with water. We are happy to answer any other questions about at home care or flouride toothpaste during your visit!

Take extra care in not exposing your little ones to too much sugar. Never give your baby milk or juice at bedtime. Sippy cups should not have juice except for at mealtimes. Take extra care to watch for hidden sugars in fruit snacks, crackers, cereals and juice. Transition to healthier snacks like nuts, veggie sticks, cheese, and other low or sugar free snacks. Their intake should be monitored and limited to regular intervals and to reduce snacking throughout the day.

Fun Stuff

To prepare for your child’s visit, we have created an activity kit to familiarize your child with their teeth and help them look forward to their dental visit. Getting to know your teeth is fun! Get comfortable with these fun activity pages.