It's Never Too Early
One of the most commonly asked questions from new parents is, “Is it to early to bring my child to the dentist?” With similar frequency I am asked, “Why bring a baby to see the dentist?”

Dr. Teresa Regil, Pediatric Dentist, comments, “I never stop appreciating a parent’s concern over the answers to any questions pertaining to the issues of “when” a child is old enough and “why” it’s never too early to visit the dentist.”

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, children should be seen by a Pediatric Dentist by age one or 6
months after their first tooth erupts. Dr. Regil explains, “It is essential that your child’s first visit is pleasant and even fun. I
refer to this appointment as a “Happy Visit”. For example, counting teeth is non-threatening and allows me to examine the teeth for cavities and gain a general idea of what their bite looks like. My primary focus is to create a positive, first impression that is relatively uneventful. There’s much truth in the expression “It’s important to get it right the first time”. This first apointment with the dentist will influence how your child views future visits. Ultimately, I want my young patients to look forward to sitting in the dental chair and trust me with their dental care.” “This first visit also allows time for me to become acquainted with the parents. We discuss pertinent issues, such as diet, oral
habits and the importance of regular preventive maintenance visits. I also encourage parents to ask me questions. On
numerous occasions, I have been able to increase parents’ knowledge of subjects such as tooth development, fluoride treatment, thumb sucking, nail biting, dental hygiene, with explanation and the use of the latest technology. “Pictures are worth a thousand words”, so now we use a camera, the size of a pen, to take photographs of your child’s teeth and transmit the images onto a TV screen. My goal is educate and gain the trust of my patients as well as their parents.”.


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