As a mother of two children parents often ask me when their children should come to the dentist for the first time.  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Dental Association (ADA) recommend establishing a "Dental Home" for your child by one year of age. Children who have a dental home are more likely to receive appropriate preventive and routine oral health care.

You can make the first visit to the dentist enjoyable and positive. If old enough, your child should be informed of the visit and told that the dentist and their staff will explain all procedures and answer any questions. Children tend to feel more comfortable if they understand what is happening during the visit.

It is best if you refrain from using words around your child that might cause unnecessary fear, such as "needle", "shot", "pull", "drill" or "hurt". Our office makes a practice of using words that convey the same message, but are pleasant and non-frightening to the child. 

At the first visit we will discuss the importance of baby teeth. We will check your child’s dental development. In addition, we will discuss home care, pacifiers, sippy cups and nutrition. Our goal is to establish a positive environment so that your child will want to come see us!

Watch the cleaning of a 2 year old:

Primary teeth eruption schedule: