You'll know what happens before you arrive

By age one, or within six months of the first tooth appearing. Both the Canadian Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend it. That sounds early, and it is. The point isn’t treatment. It’s catching things while they are still small, and letting your child get used to the place while there is nothing here to be anxious about.

We typically reserve 45 minutes for your child’s first dental appointment, allowing plenty of time to get comfortable, meet our team, and experience our comprehensive prevention program.

At Children’s Dental Health Centre, a first visit is much more than just checking teeth. Our dental hygienists focus on education, prevention, and building healthy habits through an engaging, age-appropriate experience.

During the appointment, your child will receive:

Hands-on brushing instruction: Learning proper brushing techniques at our interactive toothbrushing stations.

Personalized dietary guidance: Reviewing snacking habits, sugary drinks, and nutrition choices that influence cavity risk.

Comprehensive dental examination: Our pediatric dentist will assess your child’s teeth, gums, bite, facial structures, and overall oral development.

X-rays when appropriate: Radiographs may be recommended based on your child’s age, cavity risk, clinical findings, and the need for additional diagnostic information.

For babies and very young toddlers, appointments may be shorter, with more time dedicated to discussing feeding habits, oral development, and preventive care with parents.

Our goal is to make every visit educational, positive, and enjoyable, giving children the confidence and skills to care for their smiles while helping parents understand their child’s dental needs.

Absolutely! Parents are always welcome to stay beside their child during dental appointments. We understand that having a familiar face nearby can provide comfort, reassurance, and a sense of security, especially during those first few visits.

However, children are very good at picking up on their parents' emotions. Sometimes, parents who have experienced dental anxiety themselves may unintentionally pass those feelings on to their children through facial expressions, body language, or words of concern.

Our pediatric dentists are trained to recognize these situations and help create a calm, positive environment for everyone. In some cases, a child may feel more confident and cooperative when interacting independently with our dental team.

Every child is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. We work together with parents to determine what makes their child most comfortable, whether that’s having a parent beside them or gradually encouraging greater independence.

Our goal is to build trust, confidence, and positive dental experiences while making parents an important part of their child’s dental journey.

That’s okay! Every child builds confidence at their own pace. Our pediatric dentists use gentle, age-appropriate techniques to help children feel safe, comfortable, and excited to return.

One approach is “Tell-Show-Do,” where we explain what we’re going to do, demonstrate it in a fun way, and then gently perform the examination.

Sometimes, building trust starts outside the dental chair. We may introduce your child to our interactive toothbrushing stations, practise brushing together, or teach healthy eating habits through play.

For children under two, we often use a “knee-to-knee” examination, where your child sits securely on your lap while we gently examine their mouth. Singing and playful distractions can help make the experience easier.

Some children may cry or become vocal, and that’s completely normal! It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re experiencing pain. With gentle encouragement and repeated positive experiences, children often become more comfortable and cooperative at future visits.

This is why regular preventive visits are so important. We don’t want your child’s only dental experiences to involve toothaches, injections, or uncomfortable procedures. Visiting every six months helps children become familiar with our team, practise healthy habits, and associate dentistry with positive experiences.

Our goal isn’t just to check teeth. It’s to build trust, overcome fears, and help children develop a positive relationship with dental care that lasts a lifetime.

Not every child needs X-rays at their first visit. At Children’s Dental Health Centre, our pediatric dentists take a personalized, risk-based approach to determining when dental radiographs are necessary.

We consider your child’s risk of developing cavities, age, dental development, tooth alignment, and whether the baby or permanent teeth have close contacts that make it difficult to see cavities between them during a visual examination.

Sometimes, even when teeth look healthy, cavities can develop between tightly contacting teeth where they cannot be detected by looking alone. If your child has never had dental X-rays, baseline radiographs may be recommended to assess these hidden areas and provide valuable images for comparison at future visits.

Dental X-rays can also help us evaluate the number, position, and development of permanent teeth, identify eruption concerns, and detect problems that may not be visible during a routine examination.

We use digital radiography and follow the ALARA principle (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) to minimize radiation exposure while obtaining the diagnostic information needed.

Our goal is simple: take X-rays when they provide meaningful clinical information, not simply because it’s time for another set. Our pediatric dentists will explain why radiographs may be recommended and how they help us protect your child’s developing smile.

Not necessarily! It depends on the type of care you’re looking for.

If you’re looking to establish your child as a new patient at Children’s Dental Health Centre and participate in our comprehensive prevention program, no referral is needed. Families are welcome to book directly with us for routine dental checkups, preventive care, and ongoing pediatric dental services.

However, if your child already has a general or family dentist and you’re seeking a specialist consultation for a specific dental concern, we ask that your dentist provide a referral. This helps us understand your child’s dental history, the reason for the consultation, and any relevant findings or previous treatment.

We believe continuity of care is important. Following your child’s specialist assessment or treatment, our pediatric dentists will provide a consultation letter to your referring dentist outlining our findings, recommendations, and any treatment completed.

This ensures your family dentist remains informed and can continue providing coordinated care once the specific concern has been addressed.

Whether you’re looking for a long-term dental home or specialized advice for a particular concern, our team is here to help your child receive the right care at the right time.