The First Visit
New parents have plenty to worry about: making sure their baby is healthy and happy, re-arranging their lives around hectic schedules and lost sleep, and figuring out what to do in all sorts of novel situations. We want their first dental visit to be fun!
When Should The First Visit Be?
According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, your child’s first dental checkup should occur by age one. Even though there may only be a few baby teeth visible at that age, there are plenty of things we can evaluate — including the development of healthy habits that will make future visits to the dentist far more pleasurable.
At Magnolia Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, we are here to help guide you with your child’s oral development from before birth all the way to adulthood. It all begins at our beautiful office in Wicker Park when you bring your little Chicagoan in for their first visit to the dentist. Unfortunately, some kids develop tooth decay at an early age. During your child’s first visit, we will not only be looking for cavities, but also for important developmental milestones in the overall oral health and hygiene of the mouth, jaw, and areas of the body.
We understand that you want the best for your child and our team at Magnolia Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics will make sure to have your experience be a pleasant one.
Preparing For the Visit
It’s uncanny the way kids seem to pick up on parents’ feelings sometimes, so if you’re nervous about going to the dentist yourself, try not to let it show. During your visit to Magnolia Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, we will generally be talking to you and your child, looking in their mouth, and making a holistic oral assessment. It’s best to set expectations beforehand, without making a big fuss about it. You could even build some excitement by helping them get ready for “the big day”.
When you visit us, it’s a smart idea to bring a comforting toy, a snack and an extra diaper or two, just in case! If possible, leave other children at home so we can concentrate on the new patient, and if possible, bring another adult along. It may allow for your attention to be focused on your child’s oral assessment. Additionally, it’s always a good idea to fill out forms in advance in order to save time on the day of the visit.
The Checkup
Once you arrive and are comfortably checked in, we’ll spend a little time getting to know each other and explaining what we’ll be doing during the visit. Next, we will perform a gentle oral examination where we’ll be looking for any early signs of tooth decay, and assessing the risk that your child may develop the disease in the future. Oftentimes, this oral assessment can help us prevent, or even reverse, the early stages of tooth decay without any drilling.
Did you know tooth decay is the most common chronic disease of childhood? During the checkup, we will make recommendations on how to keep your child’s oral health in top condition, including preventing tooth decay. For example, we may discuss how diet, eating habits, and good oral hygiene practices can help prevent problems from occurring. If any treatments (such as fluoride) are needed we will explain what they are and why we recommend them. We will also review tips on proper tooth brushing technique. If any follow-up appointments are needed, we will schedule these as well.
Office Designed for Kids
Our brand new state-of-the-art office in Wicker Park is designed with kids in mind. While adults may prefer neutral tones and a minimalist appearance to relax and have a calm environment, kids like bright colors and interaction to keep their minds off doing what they don’t want to do. We understand this and have designed Magnolia Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics to appeal to the youth we serve. Welcome to a brand new experience!
Music & Movies
We offer headsets with music, shows or movies to help keep your child relaxed and occupied during their treatment. Who doesn’t like to watch a tv show while having dental work done? Keeping the child’s mind relaxed will ensure both kids and parents have a great visit at Magnolia Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics.
Rewards & Prizes
What kids dentist would be complete without a prize bin? At Magnolia Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics we offer rewards to kids who do a great job during their visit. It’s our small way of saying “thank you” to parents and rewarding kids with good behavior during their visit. We find this small reward makes things run much smoother around here, and since kids can’t wait to return, this also helps parents too!