Want your child to love their dentist?
Since, my 3 1/2 year-old daughter had her first dentist visit at Adelberg & Montalvan Pediatric Dental and Orthodontics she has been asking to go back she loved it.
Having your child go to the dentist or the doctor can become a difficult task to manage. I was worried taking Mia to the dentist for the first time she would not like it… let’s face it no one wants to go to the dentist. But, thanks to Dr. Jeanine Pistilli and Christine at the Nesconset office Mia’s visit was exceptional and she can not wait to go back.
Prior to our visit Mia asked if she could see a girl dentist so I requested a woman dentist to make that part easier. Within a couple of days Mia received a book in the mail that was personalized with her name throughout the book; Dentasaurus. Mia loves getting mail and then when I told her that her girl dentist had mailed her a book before she would see her Mia was delighted. In the back of the book there was a spot for stickers that she would receive at the office after her visit. This book was a great idea and I am so happy they gave this to us before her visit.
In preparation for this new visit I tried to prepare Mia by playing “dentist”. We would pretended I was the dentist and she was the patient and vice versa. This helped her see that your dentist is nice and the visit was going to be easy and fun. I explained it is important to see the dentist to make sure our teeth stay healthy and playing this game would hopefully make the experience easier for us and the dentist. we started off our pretend play with a greeting from the dentist to the patient with a hand shake and tell that dentist how much she loves to brush her teeth ( which she does- it is one of her favorite daily chores to do throughout the day). Then, we would sit in a big comfy chair and I would show her some different things to look at, as if they were the dentist tools. I told her the dentist will not hurt you she just wants to count your teeth so open wide and she loved it. When my husband would come home from work she would ask to play “dentist” with him and my 10 month old too. So by the time our appointment came she could not wait to meet Dr. Jeanine and see what going to the real dentist was like.
When we arrived at the office Mia could not wait to have her first dental checkup.
The office is a very kid friendly and a very clean environment with a theme of the deep-sea. There is plenty of things for kids of all ages to do in the waiting room.
There is a wall of video games set up, a train table and activity bead cubes for the younger kids. With plenty of seating and magazines as well as a big screen television to watch the parents and the kids don’t mind waiting. Their main desk looks like a submarine and just looking around Mia was happy to be here. There was so many cool things to look at.
When Christine called us to the patient room she greeted Mia with a huge smile and was super friendly. Mia walked in with her Dentasaurus book in hand and ready for her exam. Christine explained her dentist will be right in and in the mean time she had Mia pick out a character toothbrush of her choice that she would be able to take home after the exam. Already Mia was so excited because she received a present. There were two televisions in the room for patients to watch. Mia loved that there was a television to watch on the wall and even above her on the ceiling when she looked up in the patient chair. A television on the ceiling to a three-year old was the coolest thing she had ever seen.
Then, in comes Dr. Jeanine Pistilli and Mia was so excited to meet her girl dentist. She was super friendly and made Mia feel super comfortable. As you can see by the picture below Dr. Jeanine showed Mia each tool and explained what it does. Mia is wearing sunglasses so that the bright light was not in her eyes. And she was using the dental mirror tool to see herself in.
Mia’s first checkup was a success and of course I had to get a picture of her with her girl dentist. Who she loves and cannot wait to see again in 6 months.
Mia was part of the NO Cavity Club and was able to put a raffle ticket in the no cavity shark’s mouth and pick a prize from their toy bin.
With her new toothbrush, toothpaste, floss stick and toy in hand and of course her sticker in her Dentasaurus Book Mia was a happy girl. I think this first visit was a success with one healthy smile.
