Success in working with children depends on the child’s age, psychological and physical development, his readiness for a dental intervention, attitude and relations of dentists and dental team towards the child and his companions. It also depends on the ambience and the atmosphere at the clinic.
Talk to your child about the visit to the dentist as a positive and interesting experience. Speak in a way that it will understand, and avoid words such as “drilling”, “needle”, “pain”. . . We use words like “a little bee”, “worm boy”, “a juice that makes a tooth fall asleep”.
Explain the course of examination to your child and tell him that the doctor will “count” and “wash” his teeth. Play “dentists” with your child at home, count his teeth for example and then let him be the “dentist”. Give him a good example, brush your teeth regularly and do it together.
If you’re concerned, your child will feel it. Be relaxed and calm; let your child know that you like visiting your dentist.
Tell the child that the dentist will be gentle while repairing his tooth.
Never use going to the dentist as a punishment!
Do not let anyone tell a story about his negative experience at the dentist’s in front of your child. Do not attach a lot of importance to visiting the dentist, talk about it in a relaxing way.