Kids in the dental office

For those who don’t know me, I graduated in 2002 and I am 26 years old, and yes - I am actually a MALE! You can probably tell from the picture above, eh? :-) I have what I think is good experience dealing with children (even though I don't have any) and see about 70% children in my practice. I know most people would think that being a male would scare a lot of the kids but for some reason they all warm up to me very fast! I have a lot of little tricks and ways to make them feel welcome and motivated and wanting to come back for more! Let me also mention that in no way do I claim to be an expert. I just really enjoy and love children and they seem to enjoy me and I am going to share my experiences and how I handle them. This will mainly be about a new patient child, but a lot of descriptions can be about any young child. Some of what works for me may not for you. I started this page beacuase a student graduated and started work will be starting work in a Pedo practice and wanted some pointers. You may have your own ideas and if so, I’d love to hear them and add them to this page.

Usually I'll start out by going to get them and usually have their parent come back with them in the beginning to go over the Medical History, etc, (sometimes they stay and sometimes they don't) - but I'll start out by asking "Did you bring all your teeth with you today? Are there any in your pocket?" This will get at least a smile or smirk 90% of the time and then I know that we'll end the appointment on a positive note.

I tell them they get to sit in the “big chair” (if they are real small and scared I will have them sit in their parents lap first), and then tell them that I am going to “count their teeth today and brush them, and I might take a picture of your teeth when we get done later and that’s it”. I find that this helps them from always think “what is next” and they have an idea of what we’ll do. I know we need to take X-rays (“pictures”) but I usually wait until the end because sometimes the “big camera” (tube head) scares them and if they gag a lot on the x-ray then you have just about lost them for the entire appointment.

Then I'll show them Ms. Sparkle (or Mr. Sparkle if my patient is a little boy) and tell them that it’s "just like a spin toothbrush but only mine has a tail" and then I let them touch the tip so they can see it's soft and then I put some "toothpaste" (polish) on it and will polish E and F first so that they don't get scared having it all the way in the posterior first. Plus, if they don't let you finish at least you were able to polish the front teeth first.

Then I’ll get "Mr. Thirsty" and tell him that he is like a "bendy straw" and he likes to drink up the water when you get too much in your mouth. I’ll usually tell them that "he likes to whistle when you turn him on" (so that the noise does not scare them). Then I'll show them my water syringe and put a little on their tooth and use the straw to "suck it up”. This is a perfect time to ask them “DO YOU LIKE WATER!?” It will introduce you to their drinking habits at home and hopefully they do like water and they DO drink it! I’ll usually find the parent will start talking about what they give the child to drink and it allows you to discuss it while your polishing. I also like to mention to the child that “You need to drink a lot of water so you can grow up and get bigger. It’s just like if you gave a tree outside some juice or Coke to drink… it would never grow would it? Your teeth are the same way and need water too”. While this may not entirely be true, it at least gives the child something to think about. I find most kids DO want to grow up, while it may not be getting older that they desire – it’s getting bigger that they want!

Then I’ll finish polishing and then introduce them to floss (if they don't already know). Then I ask if they know what it is and say "Is this someone’s hair? (and hold it next to my head as if it was next to my hair), then ask "Is it a jump rope?" (and start moving it up over my head as if it were a jump rope) ..and then they laugh! I'll say that it is my special string to get in between their teeth because their toothbrush is too big to fit in between.

After this I'll do the Fluoride and then ask if they need a new tooth brush... then I get my BIG toothbrush and say "here...how do you like this one?" They sometimes like it and sometimes want to keep it! Then I tell them that since I cleaned their teeth, I am going to let them clean mine and I'll get the big tooth model out and put it on their lap and put the dental light on the teeth making them "feel like the dental hygienist now". Never do I say "dentist" because we are not dentists and we don't want to be ashamed of our profession or think that it will confuse them, besides - when does a dentist ever polish teeth?

The next thing is something that I came up with that gets allot of excitement out of the children that I see. I will take some of the foam hand soap and explain to child what plaque is, and how that it's sometimes invisible, but you can also see and feel it at times when you get too much of it. Then I'll go on to explain that when you brush you are trying to remove the plaque because that is what can make your teeth soft and cause problems/holes/cavities.

So, I then show the child that I am putting plaque on the teeth and that I want them to brush it off for me so that I can see they can do a good job. After putting some "plaque" in one area that the kid watches, I then turn around so the child can't see and then put some more in the special hidden places that this particular child was missing, or is a common missed spot by children.

This is a huge hit with the kids I see, and their parents even enjoy it! This is the perfect time for the child to be entertained while you are getting X-ray's, writing in chart, making appointments, or anything else and it will keep the child from touching everything in sight!

I also often put the dental light on the teeth for the kids because it makes them feel like a dentist or dental hygienist! :-)

Below are some photos of what I am referring to.