Your First Visit to the Dentist
WHEN:
It is recommended that patients receive regular visits in the office to prevent dental decay. Exams are recommended around your child’s first birthday.
WHY:
Just like you visit your pediatrician for “well checks,” it is important to visit the dentist to prevent issues before they start.
We also see infants for breastfeeding difficulties related to Tongue and Lip Ties. We have a lactation consultant in our office who works with our providers to help mothers and their infants obtain an optimal breastfeeding experience.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
What does a first visit look like if you’re coming in as an infant for breastfeeding help?
At your visit, we work in a private room to get to know more about you and your baby. After discussing feeding practices and any issues, we do a quick exam. Your baby will lay between a doctor’s lap and yours, this way you can see exactly the structures we are evaluating and your baby can stay close and comfortable to you.
Babies will likely cry during this exam, but this is actually helpful! It actually allows us to see more and complete the exam faster! We also take photos of the tissues that we’re examining so they can be referenced at a later time.
A unique opportunity you also have is the opportunity to work with Valeri Gatlin IBCLC. Valeri is amazing at helping moms achieve breastfeeding success. Our goal for your visit is to properly understand the difficulties you are having with breastfeeding so that you can have a comfortable and successful breastfeeding journey.
Many times treatment with “frenectomy” is not needed and simple changes in the approach to breastfeeding are all that is needed. However, if a frenectomy is needed this can be completed safely in our office. See more information about frenectomy.
What does a first visit look like if you’re coming in around one-year-old for your first exam?
The goal of early dental exams is to answer any questions you have and address any difficulties you are facing. We also help to guide healthy habits that make life easier for you and help prevent dental decay. As a patient in our office, this serves as your “dental home” where you can turn for questions, advice, and dental emergencies as they arise. See dental emergencies.
Parkview Pediatric Dentistry Terminology
At Parkview Pediatric Dentistry everything we do is aimed at improving your child’s dental experience. We use kid-friendly terminology that focuses on positive and relatable items that children can easily understand. We try to avoid words that could scare the child due to previous experiences and word associations. Please support us by NOT USING negative words that are often used for dental care. These include:
| Don’t Use | OK to Use |
|---|---|
| High Speed Dental Drill | Mr. Whistles |
| Slow Speed Dental Drill | Mr. Bumpy |
| Suction | Mr. Thirsty |
| Bite Block (to assist opening) | Tooth Chair |
| Shot | Blowing a Bubble |
| Nitrous Oxide | Happy Air, Silly Gas |
| Dental Exam | Counting Teeth |
| Cavity or Decay | Sugar Bugs |
| Pull a tooth | Wiggle a tooth |
| Cut out decay | Chase out sugar bugs |
| Silver Crown | Tooth Hat, Princess Crown, Ironman Hat |
Using this list will help you understand your child’s description of the dental experience and assist us in preparing your child for visits. Our intention is not to “trick” your child but create a positive experience. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us build a positive dental experience for your child.
