First Visit
The American Academy of Pediatrics and The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend a child’s first dental visit occur by age 1. Your child’s dental health is extremely important to us. We provide a complimentary first-time infant oral exam for patients 0 – 18 months of age.
Preparing
Believe it or not, your child’s first impression of the dentist comes well before they ever set foot in a dental office. Contrary to popular belief, most children do not have an impression of the dentist before these thoughts are introduced to them. Simple words, like easy and fun, go a long way in helping children have a positive experience.
What to Expect
At the first dental visit, your child’s medical and dental history will be discussed with you to make sure we have a clear understanding of the status of your child’s health. We encourage parents to accompany their children during this visit so that you can gain as much information as possible about their dental health.
Participation in Treatment
If we have determined that your child will benefit from dental treatment with a parent present, we ask for silent observation so that 100% of our attention can be given to your child. In either case, you can be assured that your child will be given the best care possible by the dentist and staff.
Once your child’s dental treatment is complete, we will speak with you to outline the treatment performed and necessary follow-up, if any.
Appointment Policies
At First Class Pediatric Dentistry, we make a specifically scheduled appointment for your child. We ask that you please be on time (preferably early) for your dental appointment, as we try to see each patient within 10 minutes of his/her appointment time. Because the dentist has specifically created an appointment for your child, we reserve the right to reschedule your child’s appointment to another time if you are 15 or more minutes late.
What to Expect
At the first dental visit, your child’s medical and dental history will be discussed with you to make sure we have a clear understanding of the status of your child’s health. We encourage parents to accompany their children during this visit so that you can gain as much information as possible about their dental health. A head, neck, and oral examination will be completed, and digital x-rays will be taken as needed. Any significant findings that are discovered during the dentist’s exam will be discussed with you and your child. Once the examination is completed, a cleaning with fluoride treatment will be performed when appropriate. If additional appointments are warranted, scheduling and treatment options will be discussed.
Participation in Treatment
Each child that we see is evaluated on an individual basis to determine the treatment that will give the best possible dental experience. It is our experience that some children are more responsive and cooperative during treatment, with the dentist and assistant, if their parent(s) are not present. If we have determined that your child will benefit from dental treatment with a parent present, we ask for silent observation so that 100% of our attention can be given to your child. In either case, you can be assured that your child will be given the best care possible by the dentist and staff.
If asked, we respectfully request that you remain in the waiting room while your child is being treated. Parents should NOT LEAVE the dental office during the child’s treatment. This will enable us to have immediate access to you should we need additional information regarding your child.
Once your child’s dental treatment is complete, we will speak with you to outline the treatment performed and necessary follow-up, if any.
During the appointment, your child will be supervised at all times by a member of our staff. They will be encouraged to play at the activity table, read a book, or watch TV. We want their time in our office to be remembered as a FUN time!