Hello, Dentist

6.17.08


I don't think it hurt that she was real cute. Complemented Buby's eyes. And had cartoons playing front + center. Baby felt instantly at ease with his new pediatric dentist. And so did we. [big sigh] I always fretted the dentist as a kid. Okay, a part of me still does. So it's very important to us that Buby's first experiences all be positive.

We've always been diligent about oral care but could never get a consensus on when to start scheduling cleanings. Some references suggest as soon as the first tooth appears, some say 1 year, others 2, even more recommend 3. Many dentists I called aren't set up to see kids. Even the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dental Association can't agree on a starting age... though they both stress the importance of those twice annual cleanings. I wrote a toddler book this spring, asked a few experts about this and realized {like all things}, it depends on the child.

Buby's first trip to the dentist was six months ago. That was to my dentist. In and out in five minutes. He basically just confirmed all of Buby's teeth were in. Duh. No brushing. No flossing. No little mirror in the mouth. He told us that since Buby wasn't doing a bottle, binky, thumb, candy, or any real juice at the time, we were good to go. But we wanted a real exam this time around. A friend suggested this chick who we saw Tuesday. She was sweet and thorough and amazed at Buby's willingness to lay back on Daddy while she gently poked around. Bonus: We expected to pay out of pocket since most pediatric dentists don't accept insurance. Ours paid 100%. And Buby walked away with a sticker, a toy from the prize box, and a new friend who he'll see again in six months.