From Fear to Fun: Your Kids and the Dentist

Being afraid of your family dentist may have nothing to do with personal experience, and everything to do with recounting horror stories they’ve heard from family or friends. “My five year old was panic stricken before his last few appointments,” said Sarah, a young mother that’s now consulting with a pediatric dentist. After pressing her son for details, she found out that his schoolmate knocked a few teeth out when his face hit a curb, and apparently the dental repair was painful. “It’s putting one plus one together: his classmate’s account and my son’s active imagination, and poof! He made the pain his own.”

What’s a parent to do-arrange for psychotherapy? Not necessarily, but it does take some research. Finding a dental office that caters to kids is key.

“On the first visit, we may just sit there and count their teeth,” confessed Claire, a veteran hygienist. “And during the second, we’ll show them all of the instruments, twirl them up and down in the chair, and then give them a prize.”

A pediatric dental practice may be your best bet to ease the anxiety for good. One such office in downtown Denver attracts youngsters with a waiting room that has been transformed into a castle, down to the little rocking horses for some friendly jousting. The dental equipment is child-sized, so much less intimidating that the standard equipment used on their adult counterparts. “Kids are enchanted the second they walk in because it doesn’t look anything like the dental offices they’ve seen,” said Betty, a senior dentist at this office. “And luckily a few good experiences can eradicate their fears for good.”