When should my child first see Dr. Kilby and Why?

Child in dentist chairThe ideal time as recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA) is at approximately one year of age. This is an ideal time for Dr. Kilby to carefully examine the development of your child’s mouth. Dental problems often start early, so the sooner the visit the better. To safeguard against problems such as baby bottle tooth decay, teething irritations, gum disease, and prolonged thumb-sucking, Dr. Kilby can provide and/or recommend special preventive care.

You can make the first visit to the dentist enjoyable and positive. If old enough, your child should be informed of the visit and told that Dr. Kilby and his staff will explain all procedures and answer any questions.

It is best if you refrain from using words around your child that might cause unnecessary fear, such as needle, pull, drill or hurt. Dr. Kilby and his staff make a practice of using words that convey the same message, but are pleasant and non-frightening to the child.