How to Prevent Dentophobia and Prepare Your Child for Their First Dental Visit

Every parent, at some point, faces the reality of taking their child to the dentist for the first time. Quite often, this first visit turns into a stressful experience for the child. The child gets scared and anxious, the unfamiliar environment further affects them, they cry, and they don't let the doctor do their job. The parent, in turn, worries and gets frustrated. In short, this process becomes stressful for the whole family.

The question arises: what can we do to make dental visits less emotional and stressful for both the child and the parents? Let's consider what a parent can keep in mind when planning that first appointment.

The first and most crucial factor to consider is this: schedule the appointment before any problem arises. In this case, the child's first visit to this unfamiliar environment will be educational and introductory. Later on, it will be much easier for them to adapt to new things in this setting.

Role-playing games are always an indispensable tool for introducing such novelties into a child's life. It is important that adults get involved in these games too. We can offer the child a medical toy set that includes dentist tools, teeth, a brush, an examination mirror, a syringe, and so on. During play, we can take turns playing the doctor and the patient. We can express questions and information that will help the child during their subsequent communication with the dentist. While in the patient's role, we can freely share how we feel, ask questions about various instruments, ask the doctor what they are doing, what they will do next, whether it will hurt, etc. Finally, happy and satisfied, we can thank the doctor for their care and help. While in the doctor's role, we can explain to the child why taking care of teeth is important, what each instrument is for, and how it works. From time to time, we can ask the child in the patient role how they feel and if they are anxious.

When visiting the dentist, unpleasant sensations and pain can rarely be completely avoided. That is why using sticks while playing with children works very well to help them better perceive the likely expected level of pain. We can offer the child a stick and have them apply gentle pressure on their skin, pretending to get an injection. Let them poke themselves lightly while talking about how painful it feels. They can gradually increase the pressure slightly and test how much they can tolerate. Often, children tolerate more pain when using the stick with their own hands than what actually awaits them in the dentist's chair. Follow this up with conversations explaining that if we can handle this, we can easily handle the prick at the dentist's office, as it won't hurt any more than that. Try to play with the child using scenarios as close to reality as possible, adding light humor, but under no circumstances scare the child, even in jest. Through play, a child's psyche adapts very well to possible expected situations, making it easier to adapt to similar real-life scenarios.

Furthermore, it is important to choose a good specialist a dentist who is skilled at interacting with children, speaks to them warmly during the visit, explains everything clearly, satisfies all of the child's questions with answers, and even lets them hold and closely examine the instruments that will be used during the procedure. Before booking the visit, it is advisable to talk to the specialist about your child and discuss any specific details to keep in mind ahead of time.

A 2026 study conducted among 4-year-old children and their parents in a city in Brazil examined the intergenerational link between dental anxiety/fear and early utilization of dental services. The study showed that high levels of maternal dental fear are associated with a higher prevalence of dentophobia in children. Additionally, children who do not visit the dentist regularly and have a history of caries faced higher risks. It has been proven that regular preventive visits to the dentist significantly reduce the chances of invasive treatment and negative experiences in the future for children.

A 2011 review of research in pediatric dentistry highlighted that among non-pharmacological methods, the "Tell-Show-Do" technique stands out for its high effectiveness. Here is how it works:

• Tell: The doctor explains the procedure to the child in simple, age-appropriate language.

• Show: The doctor safely demonstrates the instrument (for example, spraying a stream of air onto the child's finger).

• Do: Only after this does the doctor proceed to perform the actual procedure.

Studies cited in the review show that using this three-step method significantly reduces the child's heart rate and lowers the level of the stress hormone cortisol in their saliva. This confirms that the method protects the child from sudden shock.

Recommendations from completed studies emphasize that efforts should be directed toward promoting the importance of preventive dental visits and raising awareness on this matter. Preparing a child with such an approach essentially makes it possible to handle any situation. Taking these small steps will make it easier for the child to accept new experiences and help them overcome associated difficulties.

Mariam Khmaladze - Psychologist, Psychotherapist, MSc., Member of the Psychoarsi Team.