A Dentist Visit…Fun???

My youngest had his first visit to the dentist yesterday.  Although he often goes along to watch the rest of us get cleanings, this was to be his first time in the chair. 

I had a fair amount of fear as we drove to the office. 

Especially when, the day before, he went along to watch his older brother get a cleaning and proved to be quite a handful.  It was all I could do to keep his curious little fingers off the instruments and his feet from experimenting with the pedals. 

While attempting to converse casually with the hygienist, I felt like I was playing tag with an octopus. 

By the end of the appointment, he had made quite an impression on her.  Along with her good-byes, she tossed me a “Good luck over the summer.” 

Eye-yi-yie! 

Much to my relief, his own appointment went surprisingly well.  Of course, the antihistamine he was on for his cold might have enhanced his “mellow fellow” status.  But whatever the case, I was really happy to hear him say on the way out, “That was FUN!  I like going to the dentist!”

What boy wouldn’t love it when the first thing they did after he climbed into the chair was give him a ride to the very the top of the lift and back.  Twice.  That alone had him hooked.

Then, the dentist donned his mask, on which he had used a sharpie to draw a bunny nose and mouth.  Only it looked more like a pig’s snout.  And it brought giggles from my boy.

They gave him a pare of wildly funky looking kid’s sunglasses to keep the splashes out of his eyes.  (I WISH I had brought my camera.  But I forgot.) 

And through the whole appointment, he opened wide, and was the picture of cooperation.  I couldn’t have been more proud of him.

As he stepped off the chair, they gave him his own little treat bag complete with a new SOCCER-themed toothbrush!  You should have seen his smile!

And to top it all off…

He got to pick a toy out of the treasure box…Something his brothers never got to do.  He’s now the proud owner of a sticky little green hand that sticks to my windows like nobody’s business. 

His brothers were, naturally, jealous!  Lol!

It really pays to have a kid-friendly dentist.  I think we hit the jackpot here.  :)

What have you and your dentist done to make your little ones comfortable with the experience?