Your child’s dentist in Santa Clara understands that many children feel upset at being separated from their parents, especially when they have no idea what to expect. You are welcome to join your child in the exam room and have him or her sit on your lap. Children who feel ready to sit in the kid-sized exam chair are encouraged to do that as well. Before the cleaning begins, our Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) explains to your child what is going to happen next. If your child is pre-verbal, our RDA will use gestures that are familiar to young children.

Once we feel confident that your child knows what to expect, we start the cleaning with a soft rotating cup or toothbrush. We look for opportunities to praise your child for cooperating throughout the entire exam. Our dentists and RDA’s believe that commenting on what a patient is doing right makes them feel more positive about the experience than correcting undesirable behavior. We know that our youngest patients don’t have the verbal or cognitive skills to express themselves and must do so in other ways. Having empathy for our patients teaches them that they can trust their pediatric dentist in Santa Clara and the rest of the staff.