Question: What does the dentist do for your baby first appointment?  My son is a year old and he now has four teeth. I will be taking him in for his first dental appointment.  I am already being told that I should have taking him in at six months.  So now I want to have some idea as to what is the first dental would be like.

Reply: You are not really all that late with your child first appointment According to the American Dental Association, the first dental visit should occur within six months after the first tooth appears, but no latter then the child first birthday.  With that said the first dental visit is usually short and involves very little treatment.

The first visit give your child an opportunity to meet the dentist in a non-threatening and friendly way. Some dentists may ask the parent to sit in the dental chair and hold their child during the exam. During the exam, your dentist will check all of your child’s existing teeth for decay, examine your child’s bite, and look for any potential problems with the gums, jaw, and oral tissues. He or she will also educate parents about oral health care basics for children and discuss dental developmental issues and answer any questions.