Importance of Kid-Friendly Terms for Dental Care

Because parents often unknowingly project their dental fears onto their children, it is important that our families support us in the use of kid-friendly terms and descriptors in conjunction with our various behavior management techniques. These synonyms help our patients to feel more relaxed and understand what to expect in an age-appropriate context.

Guidelines for a Positive Outcome

We suggest the following guidelines to improve chances of a positive outcome:

• The more matter-of-fact parents approach a trip to the dentist, the less likely your child will have anxiety.
• Tell your child about the appointment a half-hour before they leave and treat it like it’s a visit to the grocery store
• Inform your child that EVERYONE with good teeth goes to the dentist
• NEVER express any of your own personal anxieties about dental care to your child
• Allow us to prepare your child.  When age appropriate, we will explain to your child what we will be doing during the visit and guide them through the appointment.
• Be supportive of our practice’s terminology. When preparing your child for a dental visit, do not use words that will frighten them like “needle” or “shot.” Please support us by NOT USING negative words that are often used for dental care.  Our intention is not to “fool” your child – it is to create an experience that is positive.

Kid-Friendly Terms for Dental Care

| Don’t Use | Our Equivalent |

| Needle or Shot | Sleepy Juice |

| Drill | Whistle |

| Drill On Tooth | Clean A Tooth |

| Pull Or Yank Tooth | Wiggle A Tooth Out |

| Decay, Cavity | Sugar Bug |

| Examination | Count Teeth |

| Tooth Cleaning | Tickle Teeth |

| Explorer | Tooth Counter |

| Rubber Dam | Rain Coat |

| Gas/Nitrous Oxide | Happy Air |

Communication is Key

Most importantly, please communicate with us. Inform us of any incident or condition that might be helpful in understanding your child’s behavior. Let us know how your child is feeling that day. A child’s emotional behavior can be significantly affected by an illness, a divorce, a death in the family, problems in school, and previous medical/dental experiences.

Our staff is well trained and experienced in helping your child have a successful appointment. Our goal is to make your child a happy patient for life!