What are some good ideas to help your child prepare for their visit?

• Practice good brushing every day! A child who can tolerate good brushing will likely tolerate other procedures well

• Have your child practice opening wide while you count to ten and look at their teeth

• Play pretend with a spoon to practice looking at teeth like the dentist will use their mirror

• Touch each tooth with your finger while you count their teeth

• Have your child watch you brush and floss your teeth every night! They will want to be just like you!

• Tell them how strong their teeth will be after visiting the dentist

Your child trusts you and will look to you to decide how they should feel at their dental visit.

Children who are told that the dentist is a nice, fun person who will be helping them take care of their teeth will likely do better and have a happier visit, compared to those who are scared before they even walk in the door. Dr. Murray did years of extra training to ensure that she and her team can use techniques to make dental visits fun, quick and easy. We will tell your child what will happen, and show them the items we will use in a fun manner, so there will be no surprises.

Have you ever heard the joke, “Don’t think about an elephant!” and then the only think you are thinking about is an elephant? The same happens at the dentist. Please don’t mention any items that may scare your child, and refrain from saying the words “pain”, “needle”, “shot” or “hurt” while at the dentist. If you use these words, this is what your child will be expecting. See our list of fun dental words that we use instead of scarier words here.