Management of the Fearful or Anxious Child

Our Dentists has had special training in helping anxious or fearful children feel safe and secure during their dental appointment. Also, we have gone to great lengths to create and office that is especially welcoming to his young patients. Dr. Ziegler`s staff choose to work in this office because they particularly like children. So, most children are calm, comfortable and confident when they visit us.

Our Pediatric Dentist is trained in many methods to help your child feel comfortable with dental treatment. For example, in the "Tell Show Do" technique, Our Dental Staff might name the dental instrument he is going to use, demonstrate the instrument by using it to count your child`s fingers, then apply the instrument during treatment. The modeling technique is used in our open bay area. This is where a potentially fearful or anxious child is shown another patient who is doing very well for their treatment. Coaching, distraction and parental participation are other possibilities that we uses to give your child confidence during their appointment. But by far, the technique we use most is PRAISE. Every child does something right during a dental visit and we are eager to point that out to your child.

Infants and some young children may feel more confident when parents are close by during treatment. With older children, the doctor-child communication is often enhanced if the parents remain in the reception room. We always invites parents to accompany their children to the treatment area during their first visit with us, and then makes a decision based on the child`s acceptance of dental care whether or not to allow the parents to stay during further treatment. In most instances, we are better able to gain your child`s attention and trust when you are not present. Also, when you are not present, our Pediatric Dentist does not have to compete with you for your child`s attention which makes the dental visit shorter and therefore more enjoyable and less stressful for your child. Of course, each patient is different so we have no rules set in stone.