How Can I Help Prepare My Child for the Dental Visit?

The best preparation for your child’s first visit to our office is to encourage a positive attitude. Children pick up on adults’ anxieties and you can be sure that your child will fear an unpleasant experience if you make negative comments about visiting the dentist. Show your child the pictures of the office and staff on our website to help them become familiar and excited about the visit. Teach your child that it is important to keep their teeth and gums healthy, and that Dr. Sjostrom will help do that. Parents can help prepare their child for the dental visit by explaining that Dr. Sjostrom will “Look, Count, and Clean” their teeth.

Keep in mind that pediatric dentists are specially trained to handle fears and anxiety, and our team excels at putting children at ease and earning their trust.  Please avoid words like “shot”, “needle”, “hurt”, or “pull”.  Dr. Sjostrom and our team never use these words when explaining treatment to our patients. Everything is done in a positive, encouraging manner while earning the trust of our patients.