Our office, as well as the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), the American Dental Association (ADA), and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), all recommend a dental visit for children by 12 months of age or within 6 months of the eruption of the first tooth. The goal of this visit is to establish a "Dental Home" which is defined as the ongoing relationship between the dentist and the patient, allowing oral health care to be delivered in a comprehensive, continuously accessible, coordinated and family centered way.
Your Child's First Appointment
The first visit starts at home. Here are a few suggestions to help prepare your child for their first dental appointment:
present the visit as an exciting experience (for
yourself) and for your child.
tell the child that Dr. Cummings "will count", "brush",
and "take pictures of their teeth." By explaining
the exam and the cleaning in these terms, your child
will better understand the situation.
Try to act
relaxed and at ease. Your child will probably sense
any anxiety on your part.
It is our
job to make this the best positive experience
possible. Avoid negative phrases such as "hurt",
"drill", "pull", and "shot". This initial
examination involves nothing uncomfortable and
should be perceived by the child as
child that the doctor will be gentle and friendly.
Please do not tell your child that "the dentist will
not hurt", as this probably would not otherwise have
been a concern.
When you arrive, we invite you to stay with your child each step of the first visit. You will want to arrive at least 10 minutes prior to you appointment so you can complete any necessary paperwork and allow your child some time to adjust and explore our office.
During your first visit, we will gather all the information we need to develop a preventative plan unique to your child. We will discuss appropriate home care such as brushing, flossing, diet, and fluoride as it relates to your child specifically. Dr Cummings will perform a thorough dental exam for each child to determine their dental caries risk, check for any tooth decay, examine their occlusion (bite), evaluate for any dental growth or developmental concerns, and discuss any oral habits such as the thumb, finger or pacifier use. Dr Cummings will recommend dental X-rays only if necessary. We will determine during the first visit whether your child is ready for a dental cleaning and fluoride treatment, this typically depends on your child's age and level of anxiety. For infants and toddlers, we typically perform a "knee-to-knee" exam. For this exam, a child sits on your lap and leans back into Dr. Cummings' lap to complete the examination. This allows parent participation for the exam, and therefore, added comfort for your child. If Dr Cummings determines your child needs dental treatment, she will discuss all the options offered in our office and help you make the best choice for your child. Your child will also have their picture taken and receive stickers and a token to use at our prize tower before leaving our office.
any procedures are started, we show and tell your child what we are
going to do so we do not surprise your child. We anticipate age
appropriate behavior. For instance, your two year old child does
not like to sit still for even a minute. They may be unhappy or
even cry when you hold them for longer than they want to be held. Children
will usually work their way through it with our compassionate
encouragement. Thank you for your cooperation.
It is our goal to make your
child's visits a pleasant experience. We want your child to be happy and
look forward to visiting our office again.
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What do we need for a check up?
Please bring a form of photo identification and your insurance card. Your child must be accompanied by a
parent or guardian. If someone other than the parent or guardian
accompanies your child to their appointment, please ensure that you have
provided written authorization to our office in advance. We cannot
provide treatment without prior written permission from a parent or
You will also need to read the
Notice of Privacy Practices. This, Notice of Privacy Practices, presents
the information that the federal law requires us to give our patients
regarding our privacy practices.
For patients who will be accompanied by someone other than their parent
or legal guardian
for Power of Attorney
Please click on the following hyperlink to create a portal for your child's information and financial policy:
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