February is National Children’s Dental Health Month
J
ane & Drew
Ta m a s s i a
love going
to the dentist. They
think it is fun. Per-
haps it’s words like
“tickle toothbrush”
and “sugar bug re-
mover” that make
these preschoolers
giggle. Maybe it’s
the mini-movie the-
ater or Disney deco-
rations that draw
them in.
with distraction. We
have puppets we use
and will talk with
children on their
level to gain their
confidence. We also
try to make it fun
— ‘What kind of
animal is down your
throat today?’ Even
when children come
in crying, 95 percent
of them leave with a
smile.”
— by Denise Yearian
“I think they
like going because
I started them early
and chose someone
who knows how
to work with chil-
dren,” says Suzanne
Tamassia,
whose
own childhood den-
tal fears drove her
to find a dentist who
works specifically with children.
Your Child’s First Dental Visit:
Laying The Groundwork for A Great Experience
“Getting children in at an early age
is key,” says pediatric dentist Lawrence
Louie. “I like to see them when the first
tooth erupts. It gives me a chance to get
a good look at the child’s mouth and lets
me share oral health care and nutrition in-
formation with the parents.”
Jennifer Luzader, pediatric dental
hygienist, agrees. “We recommend chil-
dren have their first dental exam by their
first birthday, and their first dental clean-
ing by age two.”
Even before that first appointment,
there are things parents can do to prepare
their child for their visit.
“Use books, videos, and role play
at home,” says Luzader. “Talk with your
child using good, positive terms, and
remind him how important it is to take
care of his teeth and eat the right kinds
of foods.”
That is what Susan Magasiny did.
“Before Jake’s first appointment, we talk-
ed about how the dentist was a doctor for
his teeth and that to keep them healthy,
he needed to have check ups,” says the
mother of two. “I told him the dentist was
going to look at his teeth, count them, and
maybe take a picture. It was no big deal.”
20 WNY Family February 2019
“I remember sitting at home role-
playing with Jane,” recalls Tamassia. “I
would say, ‘Open your mouth and let me
see your teeth,’ then I would pretend to be
the dentist. She liked that.”
Role-playing did prepare Jane for
that first visit, because when she went she
knew just what to expect.
“When a child comes in, we try to
make it a fun experience,” says Luzader.
“They get to pick out things like fluoride
flavor, sunglasses for eye protection, and
a new toothbrush and floss. Then we go
through each step of what we are going
to do, first on their fingers then in their
mouths. We count their teeth, scale those
that are covered with plaque and tartar,
and then polish. We finish with a fluoride
treatment and have the dentist come in
for an exam.”
Louie talks children through the pro-
cedures too. “We call it, ‘Tell. Show. Do.’
First we tell them what we are going to
do, show them on our hands, then do it —
that way there are no surprises.”
Even without so-called “surprises,”
sometimes anxiety sets in.
“Crying through the first two years
is very expected, even at three,” says
Luzader. “One way to ward off tears is
“What is really
important is that par-
ents not relay any
fears they have about
going to the dentist,”
says Louie. “Every
once in a while I see
where parents have
elaborated on what
happened to them
and it comes through
to the children.”
On occasion, dental emergencies
arise which cannot be avoided.
“One week after Jake’s first appoint-
ment, he fell into a picnic table and had a
severe dental injury. His gum was pushed
up to the top of his mouth and his whole
front tooth was exposed,” recalls Magas-
iny. “I called the dentist and they took us
in right away.”
But it was a wait-and-see injury. In
the months to follow Jake had to return
several times so the dentist could evalu-
ate the situation.
“I started to prep him about los-
ing his tooth early, which he did about
six months later,” she continues. “But
through it all, Jake built trust and confi-
dence in the dentist.”
So much so, if you asked him today
he would tell you he looks forward to his
dental visits. His mother does, too.
“What I appreciate most about our
dental practice is that they have given me
tools to teach my children preventative
dentistry,” says Magasiny.
Tamassia agrees. “I like how our
dentist takes a sincere interest in chil-
dren,” she says. “Everything is catered to
them — there’s an indoor climbing play-