What to Expect

Preparing for A First Dental Visit

If you have a first appointment set for your little one, there are several steps you can take as a parent to help the visit run smoothly: 

• First, it’s important to build enthusiasm for your child’s first visit by getting them excited about brushing, flossing, and creating good oral hygiene habits. It helps if you are setting a positive example, since kids love to copy their parents.
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• Building excitement, in combination with talking about our dental team as if we’re friends (which we are!) will help normalize the experience of going to the dentist for the first time. You can also tell them that we reward them with a prize at the end, and we have lots of exciting choices.
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• Arguably, the most important step you can take is to keep calm. Kids gauge how to react to new situations based on the reaction of their parents. Keep calm and rest assured that your little one will receive expert care from Dr. Ball and the rest of the Shady Grove Pediatric Dentistry team.
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• Don’t worry about your child being “cooperative” and sitting in a traditional dental chair. We know how to manage pre-cooperative and uncooperative kids as well. As long as you, the parent, are ready to cooperate, we are in good shape. We go to great lengths to ensure a positive first visit and tailor it to your child.
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• Depending on the age of the child and their level of understanding, you can call it a “check-up for their mouth”. If they seem nervous or ask if anything will hurt, you can confidently tell them “no”. And there are no shots, of course!

Keeping you and your family safe

At Shady Grove Pediatric Dentistry, your health and safety is our top priority. We have implemented rigorous protocols to protect you and your family from COVID-19 during your visit:

• Our office opened in June 2020 with all new, state-of-the-art equipment to optimize infection control
• We follow disinfection and sterilization standards from OSHA, CDC, and ADA
• High-volume suction reduces aerosols by 98%‍
• Medical-grade HEPA air purifiers filter the air
• We use separate closed-door rooms for privacy and infection control
• Our staff wears masks and follows hand hygiene protocols
• We currently have a mask-optional policy for patients/parents
• Appointments are spaced out to minimize contact
• Paperless forms, text-to-pay, and more contactless processes
• All staff are fully vaccinated against COVID

We care deeply about your health and want to make your visit as safe as possible. Please let us know if you have any other questions! We look forward to seeing you soon.