I had the most wonderful patients today, as young as 3 years old! With a lot of patience and basic tricks, I find that cooperative children are the easiest to treat. Children’s fear of the dentist originates or from an experience gone wrong or from an anxious parent that themselves are afraid of the dentist.
Here are couple of tips that I have for parents:
- If you are an anxious parent, especially regarding dental care, please control yourself:) A child will feel any anxiety or fear displayed by you. It is normal to have a child that is fearful from the unknown or from being separated from the parent and they don’t need the extra stress!
- Couple of days before the child’s dental appointment, mentally prepare him or her about the visit, with the least possible details. Avoid words such as “pain”, “It won’t hurt” or “needle”. Children don’t know these things if you don’t tell them!
- Don’t share any personal negative experiences with your child.
- Chose a kid-friendly dentist.
Parents and dentists play an important role in making a child's dental visit a positive experience.
Yours truly,
Olga Markiza