Your child should receive a preventive dental checkup at least every 6 months. Regular periodic examinations provide the opportunity for dental providers to detect early signs of oral disease, allowing for more conservative treatment options or even the possibility to monitor the condition of certain teeth and reevaluate them at the next visit.

Seeing children for 2 dental checkups each year further builds on the idea of establishing a dental home where they feel comfortable and safe. It also instills the importance oral health has in maintaining and achieving overall health, an idea that we hope every patient comes to understand as they mature and establish their own independence.

First dental visits may differ depending on your child’s age and comfort level.

• For infants and some toddlers, the visit may focus more on an open dialogue between members of the dental team and the parent(s) or guardian(s), while ample time is spent interacting with your child and showing them some of the dental equipment and tools used for routine appointments. The dentist will perform an exam, sometimes with the child on their parent or guardians lap, unless they are cooperative enough to sit in the chair for the exam.
• For some toddlers and preschool-aged children, the visit may be more hands-on as the dental team gauges the child’s excitement level and willingness to allow routine preventative care such as a dental cleaning, x-rays, fluoride treatment (if desired), and a thorough exam by the dentist.

For all new patients, our goal is to keep visits as positive as possible and excite your child about coming back for their next visit, whether it be their next checkup, restorative treatment, or anything else. Dr. Mitch believes that the best treatment outcomes happen when we work together with patients and their families, always keeping patients’ comfort and willingness to attempt any treatment in mind at all times.

Most orthodontists recommend children be seen for an orthodontic consultation after age 7, but there are occasional instances in which a child may need to see an orthodontist before then. Often times it’s okay to monitor your child’s growth and development and wait until they are in their pre-teen or teenage years to see how necessary orthodontic treatment is. A typical time to refer for routine orthodontic treatment is between ages 11 and 14, when all (or most) primary teeth have been lost and the landscape of the permanent dentition can be assessed.