Childs 1st dental visit

Your Childs first visit Highlands Ranch Dentistry, Denver Dentist

James A. DeLapp and H. Candace DeLapp, Highlands Ranch dentists recommend that your child get use to the routine of the dental office by accompanying you to your preventive care (recall cleaning) visits.  In time your child will understand that a dental treatment is part of life and not something to be avoided or to worry about.  Our office serves the Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Castle Pines, Parker, Ken Caryl, Greenwood Village, Denver Tech Center, Centennial and Denver area.

Routine dental exams and cleanings are important to your child's development. Some authors state that most children go for their first real dental checkup around the age of four or five.  Our Highlands Ranch and Denver Dentist disagree with this concept and feel earlier examinations are important.

Our Highlands Ranch dentists give you information on what can make the appointment more "routine"

See mommy (or daddy) do

With this concept... the child visits the dental office and observes what goes on when a parent gets their teeth cleaned. They can become familiar with the dental chair... take a ride in it... put on gloves... squirt the water.  After the visit I recommend the parents role-play going to the dentist.  The parent can use a flashlight and toothbrush to brush their child's teeth to simulate the visit to the dental office. Do not use these words... don't worry the dentist won't hurt you".  Your child is thinking why would my parent bring this up if it were not true.  Do you tell our child the grocery store clerk won't hurt them?

When they are ready for their first visit usually we start will a ride in the chair A chair that goes up and down with the push of a button can be fun for every one ... like a carnival ride.

Tell... show ... do

This involves telling your child what we are going to do.  Showing them what we are going to do and then doing it.  It can involve but is not limited to:

Counting their teeth. 

For this part of the exam we usually give you child a mirror have them lay back and help us count their teeth as we examine them. The dentist or hygienist is checking for decay, eruptions of baby teeth, gingivitis, and home care.

Prophy or cleaning your child's teeth

With the popularity of electric toothbrushes we tell you child we will brush their teeth   We are able to remove plaque and in some instances calculus. Then they will clean the teeth with prophy paste of differing flavors.  Then we can show you how to floss your child teeth, as many children have not developed the fine motor skill to do it by themselves

Fluoride varnish.

Some of the difficulties in the past have revolved around the use of fluoride trays which have the potential to upset your child's stomach.  Currently, one product that has virtually eliminated this is fluoride varnish.  This is applied to your child's teeth and in addition it is more effective

Highlands Ranch dentists, Dr. James DeLapp and Dr. H. Candace DeLapp make every effort to make your child's visits to the dentist comfortable and easy.  Please feel free to contact their Highlands Ranch Dental office at (303) 694-9740.  The Dr's DeLapp also serve dental patients from Denver, Parker, Douglas County, Ken Caryl Lone Tree, and the Castle Pines area.