Top Tips for a Child-Friendly Dental Clinic
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It’s fair to say that, sadly, nobody enjoys going to the dentist – even though doing so regularly is so essential! Much of this ambivalence is due to fear of the dentist. Too many of us carry this fear from our earliest years, even more so than any fear of going to the doctor!
Fear of dentists is usually set from a very early age and greatly influenced by parents, grandparents, and older siblings. Small children are like sponges, are very sensitive to their environment, and inclined to take on the fears and misgivings they see and feel in others.
But going to the dentist is a far different experience today than it was even thirty years ago – and certainly different from what our grandparents experienced! But there is no doubt that the idea of going to the dentist can be very scary, due to:
- The unfamiliar clinical setting
- The strange smells
- Scary sounds (e.g. drilling)
- Feeling physically uncomfortable
- Fear of the unknown
A great dentist will be empathetic and understand this – and do their best to make the dental experience as easy, calm, and even pleasant as possible. This is achievable with the right approach and the right dental supplies in Australia to suit children.
Children should visit the dentist for the first time once they start getting teeth, and by no later than the age of two years. They need to be seen every six months thereafter. This will familiarise them with the dentist and help instil good habits from the outset so that they are more likely to maintain dental check-ups and care for life.
Creating a Child-Friendly Dental Clinic
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- Make It Welcoming
Create an appealing environment for children, from the waiting room décor to the way you and your staff interact with your youngest patients.
This includes:
- A colourful “Kid’s Corner”
- An easy-clean play panel for older babies and toddlers
- Dentists may elect to wear a colourful mask
- Colourful bibs
- Bright, happy educational dental toys and posters
- A friendly manner talking to children and not at them
- Make It Fun
Ensure the dental checkup and experience is as enjoyable as possible – make the most of the novelty factor:
- Schedule extra time for children’s consultations
- Demonstrate the fun dentist chair and show kids all of the tools you’ll be using to look at and clean their teeth.
- Demonstrate how water squirts and how the suction vacuums it up.
- Show them the mirror and other instruments so they understand they and the sounds they make are not scary.
- Let your smallest patients, if necessary, lie back on the chair on a parent’s lap for their first examinations.
- Let them choose and hold a plush toy while they are having their teeth examined.
- Tell kids what you are doing at each step and ask for their feedback.
- Reward!!
Praise and reward your young patients – for how well they brush their teeth, for how still they sit, for how grown up they are, for how brave they are, and for how cooperative they are!
Offer rewards like stickers for a great visit and also the option for parents to purchase affordable child-friendly toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other dental items to encourage at-home cleaning and dental care.
Children’s Dental Supplies at Adam Dental
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We are delighted to offer a very wide catalogue of products specific to children as dental clients, including:
Browse our catalogue and shop online with us today for fantastic products at great prices.