It may seem inevitable that your child will loathe going to the dentist, but that doesn’t actually have to be what happens. With some thoughtful preparation, you can help quash your child’s fear of visiting your family dentist. Read up on these tips to make your child comfortable with the dentist before their first visit to a kids dentist in Chantilly.

Tell them what to expect

A dentist’s office has a lot of overwhelming noises, smells, and sights. To get your child familiar with these elements, show your them pictures of the kids dentist in Chantilly that you will visit or make a trip to the office before the actual appointment. If you can’t make a pre-appointment trip, call the office and ask for a rundown of the appointment. Relay that to your child and when you brush their teeth, tell them that the dentist will be doing very similar things when you arrive.

If your child is having a procedure done, remember to be honest about it. Don’t try to downplay how cavities are treated or neglect to tell them that dental sedation is involved. After all, dental professionals like those at Smilez Pediatric Dental Group have advanced training in proper methods of pediatric dental sedation and contribute to the 250,000 pediatric dental sedations performed each year.

Do a practice run

One of the best ways to alleviate a child’s fears is to familiarize it with play. Before your child’s appointment, role play with them. You can pretend to be the dentist and your child will be the patient. Ask them to open wide, count and brush their teeth, and show them their smile in the mirror at the end. Encourage your child to play this game with a doll or stuffed animal, in which they are the dentist.

Let them know that dentists are the good guys

Try telling your child that their dentist is the superhero for their teeth. Practice honesty again by telling them that they only get two sets of teeth, so the dentist has to take really good care of them. This will help show your child that the dentist’s job is to help them have strong teeth and beautiful smile. Be sure to emphasize the importance of oral hygiene at home as well, so that they feel a sense of pride in taking care of their teeth.

When you’re ready to take your child to the dentist for the first time, take them to the best kids dentist in Chantilly. Smilez Pediatric Dental Group is dedicated to making your child feel at ease and giving them their best smile.