New Patient Experience : Young Smiles Dental

Treating your family like we treat our own

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.

The Dental Home is intended to provide a place other than the Emergency Room for parents.

New Patient Exam

As a new patient at Young Smiles Dental, we want to welcome you and your child to our office. Our goal is to make your child feel comfortable in our office by gaining their trust and helping to alleviate their fears. Our kid-friendly staff is skilled at helping children have a positive experience in our office.

At your child’s first exam, we ask you to stay with the child in the treatment room. During this visit, we will:

Review your child’s dental and health information
Take any necessary xrays and thoroughly examine the teeth, gums, head and neck
Perform a professional dental cleaning
Demonstrate correct brushing and oral hygiene techniques
Discuss proper diet and nutrition
Determine a treatment plan, if needed

We’re happy to answer any questions and address any concerns you may have. We want this first visit to be educational and fun for both you and your child.

Your First visit

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 if you 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, we suggest you allow your child to accompany our staff through the dental experience. 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.

When should i start cleaning and brushing my child’s teeth?

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, you should begin cleaning your child’s gums with a soft cloth soon after birth. As soon as the first tooth appears, start brushing twice daily with a soft infant toothbrush and just a smear of toothpaste. When you come in for your child’s first visit, we’ll show you how to brush properly.

At what age should i schedule my child’s first visit?

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends visiting the dentist as soon as the first tooth appears, or by the child’s first birthday. We can look for potential problems and help your child get to know us as their friend. These early visits can make your child’s experience with a dentist a positive one.

Show Us Your Coloring Skills!

Click on the Young Smiles Dental coloring icon to download and print our super fun coloring pages and bring them in to show the team.