First Visit

What to Expect For Your Child's First Visit at Capitola Kids Dentistry

Our offices, as well as The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) all recommend establishing a “Dental Home” for your child by one year of age or 6 months after the first tooth is visible.

Informing your child of their upcoming visit should always be done in a positive manner. 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 mean the same things but are pleasant and non-frightening to your child.

We invite you to stay with your child during all dental appointments. Some parents are comfortable with this relationship and some parents prefer to allow their children to go back by themselves. We leave that decision up to you!

Although we allow parents to accompany their child into the treatment room, we ask that you abide by certain requests for the benefit of your child. Having a parent in the room can be comforting for a nervous or young child. However, it can also serve as a distraction from important dialogue between the dentist and your child. It is important to allow the dentist to speak to your child and give instructions without interruption. The dentist-patient-parent relationship is a very important one in which all parties must work together for successful treatment. If your child senses anxiety or frustration from you, he/she can easily mimic those sentiments or feel that you have brought him/her to a “bad place”. It is best to discuss items that concern you away from the child. It’s important to be on the same team!

If you have any additional questions please don't hesitate to contact us today at our practice in Capitola, near Santa Cruz and Aptos, CA.