DD's 1st Dental visit ... What tips do you have ?? ... ,-)

[smiles4u]

Hi all,

My 3.5year old DD is having her very first dental checkup at the Dentist this Wed ... when i spoke to the Dentist a few months ago she said to make no big deal to DD about coming but to treat it with her as if we are going shopping ... Well, about a few weeks after this conversation DD & i drove past this dental clinic and i said to her " You will go to the Dentist one day, how exciting " (with a big smile) ... and DD's response was saying it to me scared with her head shaking " Oh NO i don't want to go it will hurt with the needles " ... but i have no idea where she heard that ... So, i haven't spoken about it since other then recently playing role play with her taking in turns being a Dentist which she has been fine with.

I was thinking to tell DD we are going somewhere ' special ' (as she will be asking me where are we going so i need some sort of answer) and when we arrive at the dental clinic ONCE INSIDE the building then to tell her we are at the Dentist ... I'm afraid it will backfire and i don't want to get her upset (i'm hoping she has forgotten about whatever made her think of needles) ... So ladies what do you think ??? PLEASE any advice is welcome as i'm truly lost as to have to treat the situation (the appt is late morning if that helps with ideas )

TIA for any suggestions/advice/tips

[nic]

My DD first visited the dentist at school. They took them over, showed them the chair and how it went up and down, then asked if they wanted to have a 'ride'in it lol. When they got in the chair they showed them the funny glasses they wear, and the light above them, then special mirror they use to check their teeth.

Her first visit outside of school was probably 2 years ago. I was lucky that I had a paed dentist's name given to me to call. she was perfect, even though DD was older, she talked through everything with her. Before we went for the visit, we spoke with DD HEAPS about her visit to the dentist, how they would check her teeth and count them etc...

I think honesty is probably the better way to go instead of springing it on her when you get there. what if you called the dentists office and asked if they could do a visit a few days earlier where she can check the chair/glasses/big light etc..out?

eta: forgot to say, bribery goes a long way maybe a promise of something new or a milkshake/special treat once she is finished at the dentist?

[~Kim~]

hmm that is tough. Wonder where she got that idea from.
I'll tell you how I got D there, and maybe there's something in it that might work???
DId the same as you, talked about going while we were at home, talked about what the dentist did, let her look in my mouth yadda yadda.
Made the appointment (for me actually but for her as well). That day I said, mummy has to go to the dentist, would you like to come and see his special chair and him look at mummy's mouth? Cool says D and off we go.
The dentists were great, they gave her a mask and let her kneel up and look in my mouth and have a poke (gently), they showed her how the chair worked, then asked her if she'd like to show them how great her teeth were.
She hopped in that flying chair no issues and opened her mouth....then the two dentists took her on a tour and made her balloon animals she can't wait to go back lol.
We do talk about 'helping' people though - like mummy and daddy are helping people in the community, so 'helping' people are good people IYKWIM? Doctors, ambos, fireies...

Good Luck.
.....I wonder where on earth she got that idea from???
Could she have heard adults talking about it?
Before we mentioned the dentist I made sure I got in DH's ear about not saying anything negative too...

[smiles4u]

... thanks so much ladies , yeh i so don't feel comfortable about springing it on her ... it would be out of character of me too so i think that could possibly upset her.

Kim, i reckon she overheard DP say something about the Dentist and needles ages ago as he has a fear of the Dentist purely cause of the needles ... but great end to that story he ended up going to the Dentist a couple of months ago and they knew of his fear (i warned them) so they gave him gas ... so his fear is no more, when he came home i made a big deal to DD how wonderful Daddy went to the Dentist and she said to him " Oh, Daddy i'm so PROUD "

I often tell DD that her teeth are beautiful and that one day the Dentist would love to see them which she seems ' kind of OK with ' (?? )

Maybe i should tell DD tomorrow we are BOTH going to the Dentist on Wed (the next day) to show the Dentist our beautiful teeth and she (Dentist) would love to see them as she has heard about how wonderful our teeth are ......... DO YOU LADIES THINK THAT WILL WORK ?????

Thanks again for your help

[~breeze~]

My DD was almost 3yrs old for her first visit. I was honest from the start & told her we were going to the dentist so they could count her teeth & see how shiny they were from her brushing properly.

To be honest she didnt like sitting in the big chair on her own & the dentist suggested I sit in the chair & she sits on my lap. That did the trick (I have heard a few of my friends say they also did that). She wasn't scared of the dentist, just didnt like the big chair

Her next visit a yr later (almost 4yrs old) was a breeze. She sat in the chair without a fuss & loved the "cool" sunnies she gets to wear. She loves getting the goody bag with toothpaste, balloon etc when she leaves too.

She has another visit coming up soon as she starts school in Feb but I know she'll be fine.

My only suggestion is to be honest, don't trick her or throw it all on her once she's already there... thats just my opinion though. You'll be surprised how much they actually understand at that age Oh & just like you're already doing... make sure she doesnt hear any negative stories about dentist visits, cause that would have anyone scared

Good luck, I'm sure she'll be fine once she see's there's nothing to be afraid of!

[smiles4u]

......... let you all know how ' WE ' go on Wed ... Thanks a million ladies for making me also feel BETTER about it all too xOx

(will definitely be talking to DD about the Dentist tomorrow and how WE will be going to the Dentist the next day on Wed )

[nic]

hope all goes smoothly for you both