Our office, as well as the 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. Children who have a dental home are more likely to receive appropriate preventive and routine oral health care. They also are more likely to receive appropriate care in the event of a dental emergency, such as an accident or an abscessed tooth. The Dental Home provides parents with a place to turn to other than the Emergency Room.
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. The less to-do concerning the visit, the better.
It is best to refrain from using words around your child that might cause unnecessary fear, such as "needle", "shot", "pull", "drill" or "hurt". The office makes a practice of using words that convey the same message, but are pleasant and non-frightening to the child.
We invite you to stay with your child during the initial examination. During future appointments, depending upon the age of your child, you are free to either accompany your child or allow our staff to stay with them through the dental experience. For very young children, during the preschool years, the presence of their parent is very reassuring and allows them to be comfortable during their visit. Your presence can make all the difference between a fun appointment and a frightening one. For school age children, we can usually establish a closer rapport with your child when you are not present. Our purpose is to gain your child's confidence and overcome apprehension. However, if you choose, you are more than welcome to accompany your child to the treatment room. For the safety and privacy of all patients, other children who are not being treated should remain in the reception room with a supervising adult.
We love families--children come with parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins and a wonderful assortment of other people who love them. At your child's initial visit, we encourage you to bring along with them any parents, grandparents or other adults who may be included in future appointments or who just want to be there for the "first visit". But during that visit, and for future visits, our goal is to focus all of our attention on your child. Siblings and other children must remain in the reception area with a supervising adult. If you want to accompany your child throughout their appointment, please provide childcare for your other children or bring along another adult who can supervise them while you stay with your child. For any appointments beyond the initial visit we ask that only one parent accompany the child. We appreciate your understanding as we try to focus our undistracted attention on the "star of the show"--your child!
We strive to make each and every visit to our office a fun one!
For your convenience prior to visiting our office, please click on the links below to print your Forms, complete the information and bring it with you to your first visit or click on the button for Online New Patient form to fill out the New Patient Health History Form online.
Download Privacy Practices Notice
Download Privacy Practices Signature Page
