We love seeing babies at our office!
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children are seen by a pediatric dentist by age 1 or within 6 months of growing their first tooth. Our pediatric dentists complete our infant exams in a lap position. This position allows your child to see your smiling face throughout the visit, allows you to see anything Dr. DeLucia finds significant during your child’s exam, and allows your child’s hands to remain safe and still when held securely by a parent. 
And there will always be some singing! During your child’s first visit, we’ll examine teeth, lips, gums, cheeks, and tongue, demonstrate proper brushing and flossing, review diet, fluoride use, and habits such as pacifier and thumb sucking, and answer any questions parents have. It’s very normal for children of this age to cry or squirm in a new setting. However, with dental visits every 6 months, your child will have had 4 visits with our dentists by age 3 years. We’ve found that with repeated exposure, children learn cooperative behaviors for dental visits and quickly become acclimated.
Around 3 years of age, we gauge your child’s readiness for a visit with our hygienists. At this visit, your child will sit independently and a thorough cleaning will be done by a hygienist followed by a comprehensive examination by one of our doctors. We will take x-rays when the spaces between the teeth close or by age 5 years, whichever occurs first. We allow parents to accompany their children throughout all aspects of the visit, and advance the appointment at a pace that matches the comfort level of your child.
Parents often wonder what to say to their small child prior to their first dental visit. In brief, keep the mention of your child’s appointment calm, casual and positive. If you have any dental anxieties, please do not share those with your child; allow him or her to make up their mind about the dentist.
Please don’t be embarrassed if your child cries or does not cooperate initially. We are accustomed to caring for nervous, hesitant children all the time!
New Patients at Our Pediatric Dental Office
If you are being referred to our office by a pediatrician, family dentist or another pediatric dentist, please inform our staff of your child’s existing dental concerns. Any diagnostic x-rays that were taken by a previous dentist should be obtained and forwarded to us prior to your child’s appointment. If they are not available, we will take new x-rays to make an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.
Tips for a successful first treatment visit
Unfortunately, cavities sometimes happen. 
Parents are always welcome in the room during both hygiene visits and treatment appointments. We have found the following tips helpful for parents:
- If your child is scheduled for a visit to treat cavities, please refrain from using words that invoke fear or pain such as “needle”, “shot”, “drill”, “pull/yank.” We will use words that explain the procedure in kid-friendly, developmentally appropriate manner. For instance, we will put your child’s tooth to sleep and wiggle it for the tooth fairy.
- Avoid storytelling about experiences you or a family member have had or overexplaining. Children sometimes worry about things that will not happen; your wisdom tooth extraction was nothing like having a loose baby tooth removed and we sometimes have to “undo” fears that stories from family members have created.
- If your child has a question about treatment that you are unsure of how to answer, simply tell them, “That’s a great question. Let’s ask the dentist when we get there.”
- Please avoid comments such as, “Don’t worry – the dentist won’t hurt you.” Children can read between the lines, and hearing this may create an unnecessary fear that wasn’t previously there.
- Allow the dentist to explain the procedure in a clear, and uninterrupted manner during treatment. If both parent and dentist are speaking, your child will preferentially listen to you and may miss important information that would make the appointment easier. As much as we think they don’t listen, a child will always listen to a parent first!
