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Your Child's
First Appointment |
What you will
need for a check-up
Your Baby's First Appointment
We follow the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and American Dental Association recommendations to see children when the first tooth erupts. This is especially important for your "first" child so
we can help you be comfortable with normal growth and development,
feeding and oral habits. At this visit, we will check your child's
oral cavity and provide you with oral hygiene instructions and other
information. This infant appointment gives you and your child the
right start for years of positive dental care. Our goal for your
child is a lifetime of strong healthy teeth for a beautiful smile.
Your Child’s First Appointment
You can play a large part in preparing your child for his/her first visit
to the dentist. Your child should be informed of the visit and
told the dentist and his staff will explain all procedures and answer
any questions. The less “to-do” concerning the visit, the better.
We would like to make a few suggestions to prepare your youngster for the
initial visit:
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First,
present the visit as an exciting experience (for
yourself) and for your child.
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Second,
tell the child that Dr. Drum "will count", "brush",
and "take pictures of their teeth." By explaining
the exam and the cleaning in these terms, your child
will better understand the situation.
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Try to act
relaxed and at ease. Your child will probably sense
any anxiety on your part.
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It is our
job to make this the best positive experience
possible. Avoid negative phrases such as "hurt",
"drill", "pull", and "shot'. This initial
examination involves nothing uncomfortable and
should be perceived by the child as
non-threatening.
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Assure your
child that the doctor will be gentle and friendly.
Please do not tell your child that “the dentist will
not hurt”, as this probably would not otherwise have
been a concern.
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For
children under age four, one parent may accompany
their child into the treatment area during the first
visit. During subsequent visits and children age
four or older we suggest you allow your child to
accompany our staff through the dental experience.
Our purpose is to develop a rapport with your child
and gain your child’s confidence. Studies and
experience have shown that most children over the
age of 3 years react more positively when permitted
to experience the dental visit on their own and in
an environment for children. However, we do not
prevent parents from accompanying their child, if
they insist.
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We do ask
that if you accompany your child you assume the role
of a silent observer. Your presence is greatly
enhanced if you play a passive role. If more than
one person is speaking to the child they may become
confused. Cooperation and trust must be established
directly between Dr. Drum and your child and not
through you.
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If for any
reason a parent is needed in the treatment area, our
staff will request your presence and assistance.
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For the
safety and privacy of all patients, other children
who are not being treated should remain in the
reception area with a supervising adult.
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Cell phone
use is distracting to your child and others. Please
refrain from using your cell phone in the office.
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Food and
drinks are sources of contamination and compromise
our standards of infection control. Therefore,
please do not bring food or drinks into the office.
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Try not to
schedule appointments at nap-time. Just as you and I
dislike being disturbed from our rest, so do the
little ones. Bring them in the early morning before
naptime.
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If you know
your child is not feeling well and has an elevated
temperature, bringing them here is not good judgment
for two reasons (1) Your child will be miserable and
not have a very good experience and (2) Your child
will probably infect the other children in the
practice.
 Before
any procedures are started, we show and tell your child what we are
going to do so we do not surprise your child. We anticipate age
appropriate behavior. For instance, your two year old child does
not like to sit still for even a minute. They may be unhappy or
even cry when you hold them for longer than want to be held. Children
will usually work their way through it with our compassionate
encouragement. Thank you for your cooperation.
It is our goal to make your
child’s visits a pleasant experience. We want your child to be happy and
look forward to visiting our office again.
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What do we need for a check up?
Please bring a form of photo identification and your insurance card.
The Patient Health History Form can be printed from this site and
completed at your convenience. Your child must be accompanied by a
parent or guardian. If someone other than the parent or guardian
accompanies your child to their appointment, please ensure that you have
provided written authorization to our office in advance. We cannot
provide treatment without prior written permission from a parent or
legal guardian.
You will also need to read the
Notice of Privacy Practices and print and sign the Form of
Acknowledgement. This, Notice of Privacy Practices, presents
the information that the federal law requires us to give our patients
regarding our privacy practices.
Please click on the following hyperlink to open and print the forms:
Patient Health History Form
For patients who will be accompanied by someone other than their parent
or legal guardian
Form
for Power of Attorney
Radiographs and Pubescent Young Women
Nitrous Oxide for Post Pubescent Girls
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