What Dentists Do to Make Kids More Comfortable During their Visits Gone are the days when going to the dentist was something all children feared. Children used to dread the silent waiting rooms, the masked dentist poking around in their mouths with sharp instruments, and the possibility of pain. These days, dentists have lots of tricks up their sleeves to make office visits comfortable, and even enjoyable, for the youngest of patients. In fact, their tactics may just have your child excited for their next dental check-up! Here are four ways that dentists can make children more comfortable during their appointments.
1. Waiting Room Strategy
The first place a dentist employs his comfort tactics is in the waiting room. Walk into your local dentist’s office and you might see video games set up, puzzles waiting to be put together, blocks for building towers, and movies running with child-sized seating for the young audience. What young child wouldn’t smile with delight when they hear that they get to visit such a fun place?
2. Dentist Theater When your child is taken back to have their teeth examined and worked on, most dentists these days offer a selection of movies for your child to watch during the appointment. Often, there will be a television screen in the ceiling above each dentist chair so that every child can enjoy their own personal show. They will be given a headset so that they can hear the film. This nice little distraction makes it easier for dentists to get their work done and can go a long way toward helping kids feel calm and comfortable.
3. Relaxation Options If you are worried that your child might experience high levels of anxiety during dental treatments you might consider finding a dentist that offers nitrous oxide (otherwise known as laughing gas) or sedation. If your child is just worried and the dentist thinks the child’s concerns could make it hard to perform the necessary procedures, a little laughing gas might help them relax a bit. When you’re facing more serious anxiety, you might want to discuss sedation with your dentist and see if that is an option. With sedation, your child won’t even know what happened during their time with the dentist. Although you might choose not to use either of these, it’s always nice to have options should you change your mind.
4. Positive Reinforcement
A dentist that caters to children will provide a staff full of technicians and hygienists that understand how to work with children. This means that they will offer lots of encouragement, from affirmative words to high fives. Most dentists also offer a reward at the end of the appointment. These can range from a sticker to a pencil to a small toy, depending on the dentist. Between waiting rooms stocked with toys and games, movies playing during treatments, relaxation offerings, and treats at the end of the visit, going to the dentist can actually be a fun time. These days, dentists are well-versed in the art of making children feel happy and comfortable.