We know that kids sometimes have a fear of going to the dentist. Often this is because they don’t know what to expect at their visit. We have found that if kids read a story about what they can expect, they are more confident when they come in for their appointment.
We have compiled a list of our 3 favorite books for you.
Just Going to the Dentist (Little Critter) (Golden Look-Look Books) by Mercer Mayer Ages 3 – 7.
This illustrated book is about Little Critter going for the first dental visit. The illustrations and easy text makes this a great book to read together. The illustrations provide a lot of things to look for and this often starts a good conversation with your child about what kinds of things they might see and how they feel about it. This is the type of book that kids often want to hear many times, making the idea of going to the dentist more familiar and therefore less scary.
Curious George Visits the Dentist by H. A. Rey Ages 4-7.
Curious George is back and this time he is going to dentist because he bit into an apple, that was actually a wax apple, now he has a loose tooth. This classic series is one that kids love and they learn what it’s like to go to the dentist for the first time, and as always Curious George helps others to feel less afraid.
Karen’s Toothache (Baby-Sitters Little Sister, No. 43) by Ann Matthews Martin Ages 7 and up.
Karen has been having a bad toothache for a while and when she goes to the dentist she finds out that she will need to have her tooth removed. This chapter book from the popular Baby-Sitters Little Sister series does a great job of telling the story of Karen’s feelings about needing to get her tooth removed, and the thoughts that go through her head about her appointment.
We hope that these books can start the conversation between you and your child. If you have any questions for us, please feel free to contact us directly. We are here to make sure that your child’s visit is a good first experience.