New Patient – First Visit!

Our office provides specialized dentistry for children and adolescents in a warm, caring and “child-friendly” environment. As pediatric dentists, our 2-3 years of additional training after dental school has prepared us for the unique dental needs of each child we serve. We focus on preventive care to help each child grow a healthy smile that will last a lifetime. Our office serves infants, children, teens and children with special health care needs in San Antonio, Tx including the surrounding areas of Leon Valley and Helotes, TX. Our office, as well as The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Dental Association (ADA), and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) all recommend establishing a “Dental Home” for your child by one year of age. Children who have a dental home are more likely to receive appropriate preventive and routine oral health care.

You can make the first visit to the dentist enjoyable and positive. If old enough, your child should be informed of the visit and told that the dentist and their staff will explain all procedures and answer any questions. The less to-do concerning the visit, the better.

It is best if you refrain from using words around your child that might cause unnecessary fear, such as “needle”, “shot”, “pull”, “drill” or “hurt”. The office makes a practice of using words that convey the same message but are pleasant and non-frightening to the child.

We invite you to stay with your child during the initial examination. We welcome parents to accompany children during all dental visits. During future appointments, we suggest you allow your child to accompany our staff through the dental experience. We can establish a closer rapport with your child when the line of communication is between the child and the dental professional. Our purpose is to gain your child’s confidence and overcome apprehension. However, if you choose to be present during treatment, the child’s trust and experience will be at it’s best when you are a silent observer allowing communication between the doctor and patient. For the safety and privacy of all patients, other children who are not being treated should remain in the reception room with a supervising adult.