Preschoolers aren’t known for being calm under pressure, and telling your preschool-aged kiddo that it’s time to go to the dentist might not get the reaction you’re expecting. Even though you have no illusions about your child throwing a party in preparation for the dental office visit, you may not expect the tantrum that might ensue.

Now what? It doesn’t matter how much your child protests: skipping the bi-annual dentist visit is not an option. Regular checkups help to make sure that your child’s teeth are healthy and developing correctly, while reducing the risk of potential problems from decay. So making sure that your child gets to the appointment, and cooperates for the dentist, is absolutely essential.

Before you start making demands or threatening to throw away toys, take a look at a few simple ways to make your child’s dental visit easier. These steps can help to relax your child, make them feel more comfortable with the dental checkup, and may even get them excited about their upcoming visit.

CREATE A DENTAL DRAWING

What does the dental visit have in store for your child? Even if your child has been to their fair share of dental office visits before, they may not remember exactly what goes on there. Or, they may only have memories of sharp tools and odd instruments.

Turn their view of the dentist around with an artsy activity. Talk about what happens at the dentist. Look at pictures of real-life dental appointments online or in children’s non-fiction books. Ask your child to list the things that they might see at the dentist — such as the dental chair, a bright light, the dentist, and a hygienist.

Next, have your child draw their vision of the dentist visit. Use crayons or markers and construction paper to create a patient portrait. This artsy activity can help to prepare your child by familiarizing them with what going to the dentist looks like. It can also interest them in the visit. When the appointment day comes, bring out the drawing and ask your child to talk about it to help relax them.

MAKE A MOVIE

Go a step beyond role play and make a movie about your child’s dental visit. Working together, create a ‘script’, find costumes, and make props. If your child has a favorite book that features a dentist, use it to start the script. If not, write down everything that they can tell you about what happens at the dental visit.

Assign characters, giving your child the option of playing the role of the dentist or the patient, with you playing the other part. Dress up in costumes and ask another adult or older sibling to film the movie.

Play the movie back for your child, helping them to feel more excited about the upcoming visit. You can re-shoot the movie before each visit, making it a twice-a-year tradition. As time goes on you’ll have a full library of dental films to look back on and enjoy.

READ ABOUT IT

There are plenty of children’s books that feature dental themes, such as The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist by Stan and Jan Berenstain and Curious George Visits the Dentist by H.A. Rey. Just Going to the Dentist (Little Critter) by Mercer Mayer and Dentist Trip (Peppa Pig) feature favorite characters whom your preschooler probably already knows and loves.

Read the books well before the appointment date, helping them to learn about the visit in advance. You can bring the books along to the visit as well. Read them in the waiting room, giving your child a way to stay busy before the appointment.

Do you need a new dentist for your preschooler? Town Center Family Dental has services for patients of all ages.